An authentic American hero, John Brown fought till the end

Racial Justice

By Judge Ramon Ocasio III

Judge Ramon Ocasio III has served as a judge for 16 years and is acting presiding judge for the 4th Municipal District for the Cook County Circuit Court. He may reached at ramon.ocasio@cookcountyil.gov.

Posted August 8, 2023 11:14 AM

On Aug. 20, 1859, Frederick Douglass made a decision. He voiced skepticism about John Brown’s plan to attack Harper’s Ferry. In particular, Douglass declared to John Brown that it would be suicide. The story is told in James McBride’s National Book Award winning novel “The Good Lord Bird” (Riverhead Books 2013). Parenthetically speaking, McBride’s book was made into a historical drama miniseries and can be seen on a popular streaming platform highlighting John Brown’s holy crusade against slavery. It is entertaining and …

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