John Brown’s Raid on Harpers Ferry: A Brief History with Documents (Bedford Series in History and Culture)

Despised and admired during his life and after his execution, the abolitionist John Brown polarized the nation and remains one of the most controversial figures in U.S. history. His 1859 raid on Harpers Ferry, Virginia, failed to inspire a slave revolt and establish a free Appalachian state but became a crucial turning point in the fight against slavery and a catalyst for the violence that ignited the Civil War.

Jonathan Earle’s volume presents Brown as neither villain nor martyr, but rather as a man whose deeply held abolitionist beliefs gradually evolved to a point where he saw violence as inevitable. Earle’s introduction and his collection of documents demonstrate the evolution of Brown’s abolitionist strategies and the symbolism his actions took on in the press, the government, and the wider culture. The featured documents include Brown’s own writings, eyewitness accounts, government reports, and articles from the popular press and from leading intellectuals. Document headnotes, a chronology, questions for consideration, a list of important figures, and a selected bibliography offer additional pedagogical support.

You May Also Be Interested In:

1. The Life, trial, and execution of Captain John Brown, known as “Old Brown of Ossawatomie,” with a full account of the attempted insurrection at Harper’s Ferry The life, trial and execution of Captain John Brown: Capt. John Brown ; His personal appearance ; John Brown’s business engagements ; John Brown as...
2. Harpers Ferry: The History of the Federal Armory that Became One of America’s Most Famous National Parks Harpers Ferry, still perhaps best known as Harper’s Ferry, is one of the most unique places in American history. Situated near the confluence of the...
3. The Old Man: John Brown at Harper’s Ferry “Truman Nelson’s biography of John Brown is a refreshing and eloquent corrective to the common misconceptions about the character and actions of this extraordinary American...
4. John Brown Speaks: Letters and Statements from Charlestown This collection of writings by John Brown in the fateful days after his raid on Harper’s Ferry showcase the depth of conviction of Brown’s character....