John Brown's Boston

In this five part series, Ranger Dana examines the important and intimate relationship between John Brown and the Boston Abolitionists. This relationship resulted in the famous raid on Harpers Ferry, Virginia (October 1859), which aimed to start a massive slave revolt in the southern states of America. Ranger Dana also takes a deeper look into the backgrounds of both Brown and the Bostonians to explain why they took such extreme and direct measures to end slavery. Lastly, the series explores how this partnership, and the fear it generated throughout the South, played a pivotal role in sparking the Civil War in 1861.

John Brown's Boston: Part 1

This video briefly examines the nature of the abolitionist movement that emerged from the free African American community of Boston, and how it inspired many Americans to take direct and immediate action to end slavery in the United States. One of the most famous being the Connecticut born John Brown.

Duration:2 minutes, 56 seconds

John Brown's Boston: Part 2

This video examines in more depth the origins of the strong anti-slavery beliefs of John Brown, and those of the Boston Abolitionists, that will later support him.

Duration:5 minutes, 47 seconds

John Brown's Boston: Part 3

This video examines the forces and conditions that led to a bonded partnership between John Brown and the most influential Boston Abolitionists in terms of using armed conflict in the fight against slavery.

Duration:5 minutes, 5 seconds

John Brown's Boston: Part 4

This video examines the series of events that led to John Brown’s raid on Harpers Ferry Virginia in October of 1859, and the role Boston Abolitionists played in making that raid a reality. In addition to this, it examines the events that led to the ultimate failure of the raid.

Duration:4 minutes, 44 seconds

John Brown's Boston: Part 5

This last video examines how the nation’s knowledge of Boston’s role in supporting John Brown (both before and after the raid), led to a deeper division in the country over slavery that started a series of events that led directly to the American Civil War. It concludes with a brief examination of how the famous song “Battle Hymn of The Republic” reflected the beliefs that many Bostonians had about John Brown at the time.

Duration:4 minutes, 56 seconds

Where this belongs

• Boston African American National Historic Site

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