The Case for John Brown as a Martyr for Freedom
In the years before the Civil War, John Brown became one of the most
controversial figures in the fight against slavery. Brown believed deep
in his heart that slavery was a terrible sin and that peaceful speeches
and petitions were no longer enough. He had already seen violence in
“Bleeding Kansas,” where pro-slavery and anti-slavery settlers fought
over whether the territory would allow slavery. To Brown, the suffering
of enslaved people—families torn apart, whippings, and forced labor—
demanded bold action, even if it put his own life at risk.
In 1859, Brown led a small group of followers to seize the federal
arsenal at Harpers Ferry, Virginia. His goal was to start a major slave
uprising by giving weapons to enslaved people in the area. The plan
failed, and Brown was captured, tried for treason, and sentenced to
death. Yet during his trial, he spoke calmly and powerfully about his
belief that all people deserved freedom. Many northern abolitionists
began to see him as a martyr—someone who willingly sacrificed his life
for a moral cause.
Brown’s final words suggested that the nation’s guilt over slavery could
only be washed away “with blood.” After his execution, songs, poems, and
speeches honored his courage and his refusal to back down. Union soldiers
later marched to the song “John Brown’s Body,” showing how strongly his
story inspired them. From this point of view, John Brown is remembered
not as a criminal, but as a brave man who forced the country to face the
cruelty of slavery and helped push the United States toward ending it.
The Case for John Brown as a Dangerous Extremist
Even though some people view John Brown as a hero, many of his
contemporaries—and some historians today—see him as a dangerous
extremist. They argue that Brown’s deep hatred of slavery led him to
approve of violent methods that put innocent people at risk. In Kansas,
Brown and his followers took part in attacks that left pro-slavery
settlers dead in the middle of the night. To critics, this was not
justice but murder. They worried that if everyone who felt strongly
about a cause used violence, the nation would fall into chaos.
Brown’s raid on Harpers Ferry also raised serious concerns. He chose a
federal arsenal full of weapons, knowing that capturing it could spark
a bloody conflict. Local townspeople, U.S. Marines, and Brown’s own men
were killed in the fighting. The slave uprising he hoped for never came,
but the fear his actions created spread quickly across the South. Many
white southerners became convinced that more raids and rebellions might
follow. Instead of calming tensions, Brown’s raid helped convince some
leaders that seceding from the Union was the only way to feel safe.
Critics also question whether Brown listened to anyone who disagreed
with his plans. Some abolitionists believed slavery should be ended
through political action, speeches, and legal changes—not surprise
attacks. To them, Brown’s refusal to change course made him seem
reckless, or even “mad” in the sense that he was willing to risk many
lives for a plan that had little chance of success. From this
perspective, John Brown’s story is a warning about how even a good
cause can be damaged when people choose violence over other paths to
change.