The Kaleidoscope of History: John Brown after Fifteen Decades

Bruce Ronda, the author of “Reading the Old Man: John Brown in American Culture,” will provide an overview of the ways John Brown has been understood and portrayed, first in New England, and then nationally, from 1859 onward by focusing on four creative individuals: Henry David Thoreau, John Greenleaf Whittier, Jacob Lawrence, and Robert Hayden. This lecture will also suggest the deep moral and political questions that Brown's career posed to Massachusetts citizens in 1859 and continue to pose to Americans today, including: what do we do when law and justice seem in conflict? What justifies breaking the law? How might we understand the motives of those who choose to break the law in the name of a "higher law?" What role did religion play in motivating John Brown, and what role does it have for those who desire to change or challenge society and its culture? And finally, what perspectives do the creative arts and artists bring to these social and political questions, as they explore the nuances, complexities, and contradictions of such cultural icons as John Brown?

Venue Name: Massachusetts Historical Society
Venue Address: 1154 Boylston St
Venue City: Boston
Venue State: MA
Venue Phone Number: (617) 646-0557