Includes bibliographical references (pages 179-181).

In "John Brown", Richard Warch and Jonathan F. Fanton present Brown's own words, the views of his contemporaries, and analyses in retrospect by leading historians and political scientists to create a three-fold perspective. John Brown, whose single-minded devotion to the eradication of slavery led to the Harper's Ferry raid of 1859, has captured the attention of generations of Americans and has been memoralized in song and legend. The editors of this volume attempt to cut through the legend and folklore that surround John Brown and his famous raid in order to present a more accurate portrait of the man and the event. The first two section of the book reveal the ambiguity and complexity of Brown the man and the impact of his raid on the American nation. The last section presents the often conflicting opinions of several well-known historians, as they discuss the personality, mental stability, motives, and import of the man. -- From publisher's description.

SACFinal081324