Biography: The Ups and Downs of Mr. Brown, 1835-1851

John Brown Today

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In this episode, Lou provides a slice of biography, zooming in on John Brown's personal and economic challenges as a frontier entrepreneur and his often forgotten comeback in the early 1840s. While overlooked by unstudied and prejudiced scholars, Brown actually bounced back in the mid-1840s and distinguished himself as one of the leading experts on fine sheep and wool. Looking at Brown's attempt to intervene on behalf of wool growers in the 1840s, we get further insight into Brown's inclination to defend the underdog. This observation provides a way to revisit the bias and prejudice that Brown's legacy has long faced both from the academy and Hollywood--a bias that we are still pushing back against today. The story of John Brown is not complicated: Brown is very consistent, and it is no surprise that his inclination to defend the downcast and the vulnerable would be a theme that flows from wool to slavery.
This episode provides a special interlude and conclusion with special music by The Westerlies, featuring their song, "Burden Laid Down." Visit the Westerlies website at westerliesmusic.com.
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