IN-PERSON: The Elderwise classroom at the Vineyard Church
On October 16, 1859, John Brown and 21 of his followers invaded Harpers Ferry, Virginia. They took possession of the federal armory and arsenal there as part of an attempt to end the institution of slavery. Captured two days later, Brown was tried and convicted of treason, murder, and inciting a slave insurrection. He was hanged on December 2, 1859. Because of his actions, southern states began to arm and eventually to secede from the union. Many historians consider Brown's actions to have been a catalyst for the Civil War, and 165 years later he remains a controversial figure. Was he a hero, a fanatic, a terrorist, a martyr, a “crazy old coot”? A look at John Brown's life during the years leading up to the Harpers Ferry raid provides some possible answers to these questions. Peggy Russo holds a Ph.D. in English language and Literature from the University of Michigan. After 30 years of teaching at Pennsylvania State University, she retired and returned to Ann Arbor. She is co-editor (with Paul Finkelman) of Terrible Swift Sword: The Legacy of John Brown.
