Project Title
John Brown Antislavery Lectures in England (1851-1856)
Faculty Mentor(s) Name(s)
Sidonia, Serafini
Abstract
John Brown was born into slavery on a Virginia plantation around 1805. By ten years old, he was sold to an enslaver in Milledgeville. Years later, he was subjected to over nine months of medical experimentation in Clinton, Georgia. After several attempts, he escaped to the North and sailed to England. When in England, he published a slave narrative and delivered dozens of lectures about his time being enslaved in America. Brown spoke about the torture he endured, the medical experiments to which he had been subjected, and his journey to freedom. He delivered his message throughout England over 50 times, and he repeatedly gave first-hand accounts of the suffering he faced. Brown made it his life's work to spread the abolition movement throughout England and share the horrors of slavery in America. I am using the digital humanities tool timeline, JS from Knightlab, to create an interactive timeline that follows the formerly enslaved John Brown on his speaking tours throughout England. The historical timeline uses 25+ British newspaper articles and other sources to showcase Brown's life in Britain as he delivered lectures. I am working from the years 1851-1856 and have chosen five articles from each year to discuss and place in the timeline. My hope for this interactive timeline is to showcase John Brown and his resiliency and advocacy post-enslavement.
John Brown Antislavery Lectures in England (1851-1856)
John Brown was born into slavery on a Virginia plantation around 1805. By ten years old, he was sold to an enslaver in Milledgeville. Years later, he was subjected to over nine months of medical experimentation in Clinton, Georgia. After several attempts, he escaped to the North and sailed to England. When in England, he published a slave narrative and delivered dozens of lectures about his time being enslaved in America. Brown spoke about the torture he endured, the medical experiments to which he had been subjected, and his journey to freedom. He delivered his message throughout England over 50 times, and he repeatedly gave first-hand accounts of the suffering he faced. Brown made it his life's work to spread the abolition movement throughout England and share the horrors of slavery in America. I am using the digital humanities tool timeline, JS from Knightlab, to create an interactive timeline that follows the formerly enslaved John Brown on his speaking tours throughout England. The historical timeline uses 25+ British newspaper articles and other sources to showcase Brown's life in Britain as he delivered lectures. I am working from the years 1851-1856 and have chosen five articles from each year to discuss and place in the timeline. My hope for this interactive timeline is to showcase John Brown and his resiliency and advocacy post-enslavement.