John Brown’s Raid on Harpers Ferry 160 Years Ago

In October of 1859, abolitionist John Brown led a party of 22 on the raid of a United States arsenal at Harpers Ferry, Virginia. The effort was intended to initiate an armed slave revolt in Southern states. Among the group were three Oberlinians: Shields Green, a former slave and abolitionist; Lewis Sheridan Leary, a harness maker; and John A. Copeland, a student of the Oberlin Preparatory Department between 1854 and 1855.

A monument in their honor stands in Martin Luther King Jr. Park on Vine Street in Oberlin. Although some questioned John Brown’s intentions in leading the ill-fated raid, his small group of followers, including the Oberlinians, remained steadfast in their fight against slavery.