First published in 1909, this biography defends abolitionist John Brown against all detractors who saw him as a fanatic, fiend or traitor. It shows Brown as an unusual leader with a deeply religious outlook and a devotion to the cause of freedom for the slave.

First published in 1909, W.E.B. Du Bois's biography of abolitionist John Brown is a literary and historical classic. With a rare combination of scholarship and passion, Du Bois defends Brown against all detractors who saw him as a fanatic, fiend, or traitor. Brown emerges as a rich personality, fully understandable as an unusual leader with a deeply religious outlook and a devotion to the cause of freedom for the slave. This new edition is enriched with an introduction by John David Smith and with supporting documents relating to Du Bois's correspondence with his publisher.