John Brown, Harpers Ferry, and the Media

On October 16, 1859, John Brown and a group of twenty-two men, attacked the armory at Harpers Ferry Virginia. For two days, they held hostages as militia tried to regain control. It wasn't until October 18, 1859, when a company of Marines led by Robert E. Lee, went in and after a short battle, regained control. Brown and some of his men who survived and were captured were tried, convicted, and executed.

The news media of the day covered the story in a variety of ways; some had a combination of stories from different papers, others used their platform to not only give information about the raid, but to rail against it being used for political gain, and still others offered a somber, balanced perspective on the events of Harpers Ferry.

All of the accounts from the papers present an interesting story on the surface with a bit more between the lines.

John Brown died a traitor to some and a martyr to others. His raid is considered, by some, to be the prelude to the American Civil War. This is the story of the raid told through the newspapers of the day, both black and white.

Disclaimer: Some articles contain words which may be disturbing or triggering to some. The articles presented here are unedited to preserve the coverage of the time. Discretion is advised.