Velma Bronn Johnston

Annie (Velma) Bronn Johnston (http://www.123people.ca/s/velma+johnston ())

Between the years of 1912 and 1977 we had a great female activist in our midst. Annie Bronn Johnston was a very determined mind in a sea of overpowering voices. Her realization of the seriousness of some of the conditions of the wild horses in her area and across the west happened one day when she was driving to work in 1950 behind a big stock truck in horrible condition. After witnessing this she began to take steps to bring into play an act that prevented all of this from happening. Annie Bronn Johnston was a determined animal activist because of her upbringing, her personal experiences, and her drive for things to be fair and just.

Annie's upbringing was what seemed to be a fairly conservative one. Her parents owned and operated a big stock farm, which is where Annie developed her love for horses. She was raised with some good family roots. At the age of 9, Annie developed polio and it caused some major deformities in her facial features. This prevented young Annie from doing some of the things she wanted. Annie loved to learn, but when she attempted to pursue this, she was mocked and made fun of, making her not want to continue.

Some of Annie's personal experiences greatly influenced where she went with her life. When driving to work one day she was behind a big stock truck and she realized it was dripping blood. She then followed the truck to figure out why this was happening. When the truck finally stopped, Annie then learned that the blood had been coming from a foal that had fallen and been trampled by all the other horses that were packed into the truck. After this, she realized the severity of the treatment and extermination of the wild horses in the United States.

After Annie's experience with the stock truck and other various incidences, she decided to take action. She began locally, and then brought it to the state's attention, which then made the government aware of the issues involving the wild horses. She pushed and pushed, making very valid points, and giving a voice to the happenings behind closed doors. Finally, President Nixon passed the Wild Horse and Burro Act, preventing the hunting or capture of wild horses and burros. The contents of this act stated that when populations became too immense, that a round up of the local horses would happen and they would be relocated to accomidable area.

Between growing up with facial deformities from polio, seeing gruesome things, and all the background work it took to bring to point the seriousness of this matter, Annie was a good person through and through. She made excellent progress in the Bureau of Land Management's window, and put into play an Act that protected the horses she loved.