John Brown of Harper's Ferry Fame. The beginning of the Civil War.

Send us Fan MailJane and I recently went to Harper's Ferry, West Virginia.  This was the place where John Brown, in October of 1859, conducted his famous strike against slavery. Brown and all of his men were killed, which he anticipated might happen.  So why did he engage in such a seemingly-futile action?  In the bookstore I saw a biography of Brown written by W. E. B. Du Bois in 1909.  Du Bois was the greatest Black intellectual of the 20th century and this book shows why.  It is a remarkable book, beautifully written, and filled with speeches, notes on meetings, documents.  I came away with a very different view of Brown than I had previously held.  If you would like to read the book, you will be glad you did.  Meanwhile, here is my assessment of Brown, based upon what Du Bois wrote.