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#OTD: Abolitionist John Brown, Born in 1800, Remains a Symbol of Radical Resistance
Description
John Brown, a white, 19th-century abolitionist, was born on May 9, 1800. A white man unwaveringly devoted to ending slavery, Brown spent his life fighting oppression—donating land to escaped slaves and aiding the Underground Railroad.
Frederick Douglass once said Brown “is in sympathy a Black man,” a testament to his deep commitment.
In 1859, Brown led 21 men—Black and white—in a raid on the federal arsenal at Harpers Ferry, W.Va., aiming to spark a slave uprising.
The raid failed; Brown was wounded, captured, and ultimately hanged.
Though controversial, he remains one of the most enduring and radical figures in the history of American abolition.
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