Johnson decides to veil his identity as a negro due to the reasons of shame. Do these reasons exists today?

There are those who would say that the problem with racism in America, especially against African-Americans, continues to this day and that men like Johnson are forced to resort to many "means" to achieve the goals they wish to achieve.  When anyone feels put down because of the perceptions of someone else (society, other people, their family), then that person may try to mask whatever to achieve a new vision of one self.  People often feel the need to mask who they are.