How Did John Brown Contribute To Abolish Slavery

“John Brown died that the slaves might be free, But his soul goes marching on.” During the civil war John Brown’s Body, was a popular song choice for Union soldiers and supporters because of it’s ties to heroism and courage. John Brown was born on May 9, 1800, in Torrington Connecticut. John’s father, Owen Brown, was a strict Calvinist and an outspoken civil servant who advocated for the abolition of slavery. When John was young his family moved to Ohio, where his father opened up a successful tannery. He was close friends with Fredrick Douglas, a famous abolitionist, and Douglas often stayed with the Browns when he was speaking in the area. At the age of sixteen John Brown moved from Ohio to Massachusetts to train as a minister, but after
However, more than anything, one eventful day was responsible for dictating John Brown’s path in life. John Brown’s motivation to abolish slavery grew from his experience and immersion within the African American community. From a young age, John was exposed to the horrors of slavery. When John was twelve, he witnessed a young African American boy being beaten to death with an iron shovel. This sick image stuck with him and strengthened his ideals. John devoted his life to abolishing slavery, and John was able to gain an idea of what the experience was like for African Americans while he was in Springfield, Massachusetts. He was also able to connect with many fellow abolitionists there. John was thoroughly involved in the anti-slavery community. He went to African American ministries and hired local workers to help him with his wool business. He was ultimately unsuccessful in his business ventures, but his focus was not simply on prospering as an individual. John Brown was dedicated to the cause of abolishing slavery the fastest way possible. His method would eventually stir up the nation enough to cause a
Frederick Douglas a famous abolitionist know for his writing and speeches was influenced by Brown when they spoke in Springfield, Massachusetts. Douglas later wrote, “From this night spent with John Brown in Springfield, Mass. in 1847, while I continued to write and speak against slavery, I became all the same less hopeful for its peaceful abolition. My utterances became more and more tinged by the color of this man’s strong impressions.” This is Douglas accepting to some extent that Brown had convinced him that his way was effective. Moreover, as Douglas began to spread his newfound ideas some of Brown’s ideas would be mixed in gaining the large audience that Douglas had acquired over the years. Brown’s actions weren’t merely violent attacks against pro-slavery civilians. In Missouri, Brown freed eleven slaves and with the help of his supporters, he guided them to Canada. John’s supporters ranged from his abolitionist peers to the secret six, a group of wealthy men who believed in Brown’s message. Thomas Higginson, Theodore Parker, George Sterns, Franklin Sanborn, Samuel Howe and Gerrit Smith were the members of the secret six. They consisted of businessmen, a school teacher, a social pioneer, a landowner and two Unitarian ministers. The Secret six funded Brown and provided guns for his assaults. These men