East Baton Rouge Parish Library

John Brown's holy war, PBS ; produced and directed by Robert Kenner ; written by Ken Chowder ; a Robert Kenner Films production for American Experience ; WGBH Boston

eng

videorecording

MPAA Rating: Not rated

John Brown's holy war

63677557

Originally broadcast by PBS as an episode of the television series American experience on February 28, 2000

PBS ; produced and directed by Robert Kenner ; written by Ken Chowder ; a Robert Kenner Films production for American Experience ; WGBH Boston

90

On December 2, 1859, a tall, gaunt, fifty-nine-year-old man was executed in Virginia before 1500 armed guards. Just a month earlier, few had heard of John Brown, a red-faced, thread-bare, scare-crow of a man with wild reddish brown hair whose sky-blue eyes held a look that bespoke madness, who one terrible night in Kansas committed cold-blooded murder as he embarked on a violent crusade to end slavery. Now his name divided North from South. Was he a martyr or a madman, a fanatic or a hero? More than a century later, John Brown--who helped bring on the bloodiest American upheaval ever--remains one of America's most controversial and misunderstood figures

National symbol -- Religious principles -- Pledge to end slavery -- Slavery debate -- Pottawatomie Massacre -- Northern sympathizers -- Harpers Ferry -- Immortalized -- Credits

adult

live action