John Brown Today
John Brown Today is a podcast devoted to historical and contemporary themes relating to the abolitionist John Brown (1800-59), the controversial antislavery and antiracist freedom fighter. John Brown Today is hosted by Louis A. DeCaro Jr., a Brown biographer and researcher, the most prolific author on the John Brown theme since the abolitionist's death in 1859. John Brown Today engages a range of themes from history and biography to popular culture and other contemporary themes.
Podcasting since 2020 • 48 episodes
John Brown Today
Latest Episodes
Misusing John Brown: From Luigi Mangione to Christian Nationalism
In this episode, Lou discusses two recent online articles to illustrate how John Brown is often appropriated and misused by writers in discussing contemporary issues. The first article discussed is an effort to draw a parallel between Joh...
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36:09
The Cat Who Went to Kansas (and Other John Brown Animals)
In this episode, Lou discusses the animals--pets, livestock, and others who are part of the John Brown story, from the dogs of Harper's Ferry to a cat who went to Kansas. Just when you thought you'd heard everything about John Brown, huh?...
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14:39
Sick of Bonhoeffer? Why the USA Can Celebrate a German Martyr, But Not John Brown
Dietrich Bonhoeffer was born in 1906, and was a German Lutheran pastor, a figure noted in the theological world for his neo-orthodox views, and his most popular book, The Cost of Discipleship. Bonhoeffer is more widely remembered as an an...
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Season 6
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Episode 2
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11:45
Back Again!
After the better of two years, John Brown Today is going back in production. This is just a brief message to greet listeners and to update them a bit, and thank them for maintaining an interest in this podcast. John Brown Today is coming back a...
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Season 6
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Episode 1
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5:09
The Legend of John Brown's Baby Kiss Revisited
In this episode, Lou does a deep dive evaluation of the legend of John Brown kissing a black baby on the day of his execution, a story that has been enshrined in poetry and paintings. Sharing his research on the topic, Lou considers...
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Season 5
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Episode 3
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38:54