John BrownPublic speaker
B. 1800 D. 1859 Testimony: In their Own WordsHere, before God, in the presence of these witnesses, from this time, I consecrate my life to the destruction of slavery!" |
Actions
- Attended a mostly African-American church at a time when, even in the north, did not usually mix in public.
- Formed a militant group dedicated to protecting escaped slaves from being recaptured.
-Gave many anti-slavery speeches, often with a tone of war-like defiance. He argued that peaceful protest would never lead to the end of slavery.
- Led an anti-slavery vigilante group in Kansas. They captured 5 pro-slavery men, took them out and hacked them to death with swords. Those killed had been former slave hunters and Brown had feared they were coming after his family.
- Led an assault on a U.S. armory in Virginia. His plan was to capture it and distribute its weapons to the slaves in the south to start a rebellion against their slave masters.
- When surrounded by marines and given a chance to surrender he said “No. I prefer to die here.” He was captured and put on trial.
- He had a chance to escape prison but said he’d rather die as a martyr for the abolitionist cause then run for the rest of his life.
- He was executed for his crimes. Many in the North saw him as a hero.
- Formed a militant group dedicated to protecting escaped slaves from being recaptured.
-Gave many anti-slavery speeches, often with a tone of war-like defiance. He argued that peaceful protest would never lead to the end of slavery.
- Led an anti-slavery vigilante group in Kansas. They captured 5 pro-slavery men, took them out and hacked them to death with swords. Those killed had been former slave hunters and Brown had feared they were coming after his family.
- Led an assault on a U.S. armory in Virginia. His plan was to capture it and distribute its weapons to the slaves in the south to start a rebellion against their slave masters.
- When surrounded by marines and given a chance to surrender he said “No. I prefer to die here.” He was captured and put on trial.
- He had a chance to escape prison but said he’d rather die as a martyr for the abolitionist cause then run for the rest of his life.
- He was executed for his crimes. Many in the North saw him as a hero.
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