He played the character of Boy, Tarzan's adopted son, in five Tarzan films from 1939 to 1948. While Johnny Sheffield was not Black, his casting was significant for the time because it challenged the racist portrayal of African characters that was prevalent in Hollywood.
While it is true that Johnny Sheffield was not Black, it is important to acknowledge his contribution to breaking down racial barriers in Hollywood at the time. He was a young white actor who played a character who was portrayed as a Black child in the Tarzan films. This was a significant step forward in how Hollywood was portraying characters of color, even if it wasn't a fully accurate representation.