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.
John Brown Today
Misusing John Brown: From Luigi Mangione to Christian Nationalism
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Louis DeCaro Jr.
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 John Brown and Luigi Mangione, who allegedly murdered a healthcare executive in cold blood last year. The second article presents John Brown as a Christian Nationalist. In both cases, Lou objects to the misuse of John Brown, showing how inaccurate these appropriations tend to be.
Links to the articles, fyi:
Shiv Parihar, "John Brown, Christian Nationalist," Providence Magazine (Dec. 13, 2024).
Theme music: "Land of My Fathers" by The 126ers (YouTube)