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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.

Boston African American National Historic Site

Last updated: October 14, 2021