It was reminiscent of an old-fashioned family reunion in the deep South as hundreds of Arkansas City, AR, residents came out recently to welcome home their native son, John H. Johnson, publisher and chairman of Johnson Publishing Company, publisher of JET and EBONY Magazines, and to dedicate a museum in his name.

Ten years in the making, the John H. Johnson Cultural and Educational Museum is a replica of his boyhood home, filled with nostalgic memorabilia (including an outhouse) of his early years in Arkansas City, and later accomplishments as one of world's most successful and wealthiest businessmen.

The museum, which was partially built using the original wood from Johnson's boyhood home, sits four blocks from the original location of the tin-roof house where he grew up.

The 87-year-old Johnson made the trip down from Chicago with his family: wife, Secretary-Treasurer and Director of EBONY Fashion Fair Eunice W. Johnson; daughter, Johnson Publishing Company President and CEO Linda Johnson Rice; son-in-law, Triple M Acceptance President Mel Farr; and granddaughter Alexa Rice.