John Brown and the Harpers Ferry (Part 2 of 3)

Now, to the main event or in other words conspiracy theory. This event was actually executed and was not just a plan. In the year 1859 John and his twenty-one followers had gone to a farmhouse not far from Harpers Ferry (John Brown, n.d.). At the time, Harpers Ferry was the location of U.S military weapons, and sources. On October 16, 1859, Brown and his twenty-one person army had raided the arsenal at Harpers Ferry, but soon realized that his plan took a turn for the worse. The plan was originally for Brown and his men to raid and get ahold of the weapons that they owned, and to initiate an armed slave uprising. Being anti-slavery, Brown did all he could to be there to help slaves rise over slave owners and those who supported slavery and participated in such an unjust act. When the plan was executed, all that Brown planned did not occur. Men on both sides lost their lives that day. Brown believed that once the slave owners were killed, the slaves would join his group of followers and fight alongside him and his men. However, that was not the case. Many of the slaves did not contribute to the raid. Due to his failed attempt, Brown and his men did not get away with the damage they caused. His want to ignite fear into the pro-slave community did not at all happen. Those who followed the lead of brown were either killed or captured, which included both his sons (John Brown). Brown was later found, tried, and found guilty of murder, encouraging slave rebellion, and treason against the state of Virginia.

now that you know the history and the background, what are your thoughts on the issue and Brown?

Stay tuned for the thoughts and conspiracy behind it!

-Maleka Benjamin

Source: “John Brown.” Civil War Trust, Civil War Trust, www.civilwar.org/learn/biographies/john-brown.