On this day in 1859, the U.S. government executed John Brown for his failed raid on a federal armory in Harpers Ferry, Virginia. For attempting to liberate enslaved people, Brown became the first American to be executed for treason.

Brown first gained national prominence when he led small groups of volunteers during the Bleeding Kansas crisis of 1856. He was dissatisfied with the pacifism of the organized abolitionist movement: "These men are all talk. What we need is action - action!"

In October 1859, Brown led a raid on the federal armory at Harpers Ferry, Virginia (today West Virginia), intending to start a slave liberation movement that would spread south through the mountainous regions of Virginia and North Carolina. Although Brown seized the armory, his raid was beaten militarily. Seven people were killed and at least ten were injured.

Brown had intended to arm slaves with weapons from the armory, but only a small number of local slaves were willing to join him, possibly due to an unfamiliarity with firearms. Within 36 hours, those of Brown's men who had not fled were killed or captured by local farmers, militiamen, and U.S. Marines, the latter led by Robert E. Lee.

Brown was hastily tried for treason against the Commonwealth of Virginia, the murder of five men, and inciting a slave insurrection; he was found guilty on all counts and was hanged. Brown was the first person executed for treason in the history of the United States.

"I, John Brown, am now quite certain that the crimes of this guilty land can never be purged away but with blood. I had, as I now think, vainly flattered myself that without very much bloodshed, it might be done." - John Brown

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  • Rem [she/her]
    ·
    3 years ago

    "Workplace harassment can be hard to verify"

    Skit begins

    "Hey sugar, that blouse makes your tits look mighty fine"

    I love sexual harassment training

    • Rem [she/her]
      ·
      3 years ago

      Thinking they make the examples so blatent to just flatter men so they can be like "oh pssh I'd never say something so blatant!" even if they say sus stuff that pushes the boundaries of acceptable all the time.

      • viva_la_juche [they/them, any]
        ·
        3 years ago

        It honestly should just be subtle shit so when some guy argues “that’s not even that bad” everyone can know which dickhead to watch out for/try to make it a teachable moment, optimistically speaking

        • Rem [she/her]
          ·
          3 years ago

          Oh you mean the kind that actually happens all the time? They'd never.

        • Ezze [hy/hym,they/them]
          ·
          3 years ago

          I think it was when I was discussing the Kavanaugh hearings with an old friend from high school, and he told me, “That's not even that bad.”

      • Rem [she/her]
        ·
        3 years ago

        Women should be exempt from these training courses as a form of reparations

        • Rem [she/her]
          ·
          3 years ago

          Mid training quiz: Is harassment bad?

          Not that getting harassers fired is bad, but it's funny how they push the "HR is your friend, we're looking out for your best interests" stuff so hard