John Brown: Fanatic for Justice

When John Brown was 12 years old, he had an experience that would stay with him for the rest of his life. John’s father gave him a job. He told him to deliver some cattle to a nearby town. The trip was too long to make in one day, so John stayed with a man along the way. At dinner, the man spoke to the others at the table about how amazed he was by John’s responsible behavior. John liked the man. To John, he seemed kind.

When the meal was over, he saw another side of the man. The man walked over to an enslaved Black boy who was around John’s age. John had played with the boy before dinner. Now, he watched in horror as the man beat the boy for not serving dinner quickly enough.

John was raised in a family that was against slavery. But for the first time, he saw the true evils of slavery up close. For the rest of his life, John would have one goal: destroy slavery.

John Brown, Family Man

John Brown was born May 9, 1800. He grew up in a community in Ohio that was strongly against slavery. His family kept a safe house for people escaping from slavery along the Underground Railroad. Brown’s parents also raised him with strong Christian values. He knew the Bible so well he could remember any verse when asked. At 16, Brown wanted to become a minister. Though he ended up dropping out of school, his Christian faith would be important to him throughout his life.

A few years later in 1820, Brown married Dianthe Lusk. They had five children, but sadly, Dianthe died in 1832 while giving birth. In 1833, he married Mary Ann Day, the daughter of his housekeeper. Together, they would have 13 more children. Taking care of such a large family was not easy for the two of them, and Brown struggled to find work that provided enough money for his family to live on. Still, Brown raised his family to be against slavery just as his parents had. His home in Pennsylvania became an important stop on the Underground Railroad. Between 1825 and 1835, Brown’s family helped about 2,500 people escape from slavery.

John Brown’s Vow

In November 1837, a pro-slavery mob killed a man named Elijah Lovejoy. Lovejoy ran an anti-slavery newspaper. His death had a big impact on Brown. At a memorial service for Lovejoy, Brown stood up and promised to spend the rest of his life trying to put an end to slavery.

Brown and his family moved around a lot as he tried to make a living, but he never forgot his vow. In 1846, they moved to Springfield, Massachusetts. Many people in Springfield believed in abolition, or ending slavery. While in Springfield, Brown heard famous speeches from Black abolitionists like Frederick Douglass and Sojourner Truth. Douglass and Truth were enslaved when they were younger but escaped.

The more Brown spent thinking about the evils of slavery, the angrier he got. Eventually, he started talking about using violence to end slavery.

“Bleeding Kansas”

In the 1850s, as the United States grew in size, many argued over whether new states should allow slavery or not. One of these new states was Kansas. Five of Brown's sons moved to Kansas to fight to make it a free state, and Brown followed them there. He believed that if Kansas entered the Union as a state where slavery was allowed, it would be a big step backward for justice.

The fight over whether Kansas would be a free state or a slave state was very violent. On May 21, 1856, a pro-slavery group attacked Lawrence, Kansas, a town that was known for being against slavery. Brown felt like it was time for anti-slavery groups to fight back. He led a group of anti-slavery fighters who killed five pro-slavery settlers. The violence in the state led to it being called “Bleeding Kansas,” and it continued until Kansas became a free state in 1861. Although Brown was against slavery his whole life, Kansas was the first time he used violence in support of his beliefs. It would not be the last.

Harper’s Ferry

Brown is most well known for the surprise attack on Harper’s Ferry on October 16, 1859. He wanted to take control of a government building in Harper’s Ferry, West Virginia, that was used for storing weapons. Brown hoped it would be the start of an all-out war against slavery. Before the attack, Brown traveled all over the country, trying to get people to join his fight. Many people disagreed with his plans. People thought it was too dangerous and unlikely to succeed. They would turn out to be right. Brown refused to back down, but by October 18, 1859, his group was surrounded and captured, and two of his sons had died.

Brown was put on trial, and on December 2, 1859, he was hanged. Even though Brown’s plan failed, it had a big effect on the country. It forced people to see that the fight over slavery could not be ignored. 

Before Brown’s attack on Harper’s Ferry, most abolitionists were against using violence to end slavery. His fierce behavior made many abolitionists uncomfortable, and he was hated by enslavers.

Some people say that Brown’s actions, even if they were seen as extreme, were a big reason for the start of the American Civil War. In that way, maybe Brown fulfilled his vow to end slavery. The Civil War eventually led to the abolition of slavery in the United States. Today, John Brown is remembered for his courage and commitment to justice.