This Grafton native was a trailblazer for her contributions to portraiture, photojournalism, and documentary photography at a time when the field was largely dominated by men during her time.

She began as a photojournalist, capturing images of labor in New England shoe factories, and was among the first women to be recognized as a press photographer. Her ability to photograph major figures such as Susan B. Anthony, Mark Twain, and presidents solidified her prominence in the field. Her relationship with Booker T. Washington also led her to document the work and people at both Hampton Institute and Tuskegee Institute, highlighting African American achievements and life in the South.

One of Johnston's most enduring contributions was her photographic survey of the early American South, depicting plantation homes, historical landmarks, and the impact of post-Civil War America. Her work remains in high esteem, housed in prominent institutions like the Library of Congress, the Museum of Modern Art, and the Baltimore Museum of Art.