John Brown Today
Louis DeCaro Jr.
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Top 10 John Brown Today Episodes
Goodpods has curated a list of the 10 best John Brown Today episodes, ranked by the number of listens and likes each episode have garnered from our listeners. If you are listening to John Brown Today for the first time, there's no better place to start than with one of these standout episodes. If you are a fan of the show, vote for your favorite John Brown Today episode by adding your comments to the episode page.
John Brown's Best Friend in the Twentieth Century
John Brown Today
05/23/21 • 38 min
In this episode, Lou recalls the important role of Boyd B. Stutler (1889-1970), "the godfather of John Brown scholars." Lou sketches Stutler's life, from his youth as a newspaperman and one of the youngest mayors in his era, to his role as a war time correspondent and veterans' magazine editor. Above all, Stutler was the key figure in gathering John Brown materials, primary and secondary, and became the expert on Brown in the twentieth century. Yet, as Lou observes, Stutler was a rightwinger who held Brown at arms length and held a somewhat detached view of Brown in keeping with the prejudices of his era as well as his own ultra-conservative perspective. Stutler was particularly uncooperative in the case of Richard O. Boyer, a leftist author, and despite the latter's great capacity and success, might have been far more successful had Stutler not snubbed him because he was a "pinko." Notwithstanding Stutler's rightwing bias, his contribution to the study of John Brown is invaluable and his collection remains one of the great resources for John Brown biographers and students. If you're interested, you can visit the digital Stutler John Brown collection by clicking this link!
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05/06/21 • 53 min
In this John Brown birthday episode, Lou presents a reflection upon the "reunion" meeting at John Brown's farm that took place on July 4, 1860, before the Brown family sold the property and relocated to California three years later. Based on an account published in William Lloyd Garrison's The Liberator (July 27, 1860), Lou reflects on this meeting--attended by as many as one thousand people--its leading spirits, its family significance, even the fact that Brown had both a grave mound and a grave marker. As Lou points out, when this meeting took place, only Brown was interred at the farm; the bodies of his sons Oliver and Watson, along with the bodies of many of his other Harper's Ferry raiders were not interred at the farm until the last twenty years of the nineteenth century. The July 4th 1860 meeting is a weighty and moving historical "snapshot"--the picture of a nation on the brink of civil conflict, a nation weighed down by injustice and the suffering of black millions at the hands of white supremacy, and the mediocrity of most of white society, including "moderate" anti-slavery people. Quite in contrast the abolitionists stand out, and yet themselves are divided between pacifist "moral suasionists," and political abolitionists--militants who called for violence, and the significance of John Brown, buried beneath the fresh mound at North Elba, NY. Yet, because of the ongoing struggle against racism, somehow the story of John Brown--in life and death--remains significant today, as it was in 1860.
This episode is introduced and closed by the wonderful song, "All the Brave Young Men," written and performed by Greg Artzner and Terry Leonino, known as Magpie. You can find this song on Magpie's CD, "The Civil War: Songs & Stories Untold." Also see Magpie's website at Magpiemusic.com.
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Light vs. Lies: The Real History of the Harper's Ferry Raid (with a Jan. 6th epilogue!)
John Brown Today
01/16/22 • 51 min
In this episode, Lou revisits the Harper's Ferry raid of October 16, 1859, presents some preliminary thoughts on the contemporary perspective and then addresses a number of key points, along with a "January 6th" epilogue. The key points addressed in this extended episode are:
1. What basically characterized John Brown’s earlier Virginia plan and how it was changed in the 1850s, and why it was changed?
2. Why did John Brown choose to capture the federal armory and what did he intend when he did so?
3. To what degree did John Brown’s movement in Harper’s Ferry attract local enslaved people?
4. Was the raid on Harper’s Ferry an ill-fated venture that had no real chance of success?
5. In what ways has our understanding of the HF raid been misshapen, and how has it come down to us?
John Brown's truth is ours too. He did his part. Let's do our part too and save our nation from rightwing rebellion, which is the spirit of the slaveholders.
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Why Were You Miseducated About John Brown?
John Brown Today
11/08/20 • 29 min
In this podcast, Louis DeCaro Jr. welcomes listeners and introduces himself with some reflections about the significance of John Brown in history, especially relating to the black struggle for justice. DeCaro then discusses the story behind Brown's damaged reputation in history, particularly how white society was miseducated and why.
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The Cat Who Went to Kansas (and Other John Brown Animals)
John Brown Today
12/17/24 • 14 min
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?
Guest music: "Story of a Toy" by Freedom Trail Studio (Youtube)
Also available on the John Brown Today YouTube station
What Did Blacks Really Think of John Brown? The Question of "Sambo Mistakes" (Part 2)
John Brown Today
10/24/22 • 28 min
In Part 2 of this two-part episode, Lou reflects upon the question of white allies, particularly in the case of John Brown's story. What did black leaders and other associates really think of John Brown? Recalling Brown's devotion to black liberation and notable devotion to human equality, Lou suggests nevertheless that human interaction is by nature complex and even Brown might grate upon his black associates. How should these tensions be understood? Was he a paternalistic racist as some have charged in recent times? Did he presume too much despite being a notable and respected white ally in the struggle for justice? Regardless, would-be allies and those otherwise interested in the theme of black-white alliances and intercultural alliances, in general, may find this historical reflection of interest.
Guest theme music: "Progressive Moments" by Ugonna Onyekwe (YouTube Audio Library)
Questioning John Brown’s Sanity: A Historical Thread Considered
John Brown Today
09/09/22 • 48 min
Many people in the United States, especially (but not exclusively) white people, tend to think of John Brown as someone who was "crazy." In this episode, Lou surveys what he calls a historical "thread" regarding the alleged insanity of Brown. Beginning with affidavits filed in Virginia in 1859 in an attempt by friends and relatives in Ohio to spare Brown's life, as well as Republican insanity rhetoric designed to dissociate Brown from their party, it is clear there is otherwise no historical evidence for the insanity notion. In the twentieth century, however, academics promoted Brown's alleged insanity, and the notion was disseminated in popular culture. In the late twentieth century, although scholars began to back away from this unwarranted notion, it was replaced by notions of Brown being manic. Lou traces this thread through three publications by Robert McGlone, Kenneth Carroll, and Tony Horwitz. He also suggests secular inclinations among scholars make them inclined to attribute mental instability to Brown's fundamentalist religious beliefs.
Guest music: "Climbing" by Reed Mathis
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Interrogating History: The Mayflower, “America,” and John Brown
John Brown Today
01/31/22 • 37 min
In this episode, Lou reflects upon the critical thesis of the late Gabriel Moran (1935-2021), who indefatigably pointed out the distinction between "America" as a dream (and as a vast continental land mass) and The United States of America as a nation. Following Gabriel's lead, Lou reflects upon the linguistic and political challenges of confusing the two, something that is done as much by rightwingers as by critics of racism, including such eminent voices as Malcolm X and Martin Luther King Jr. What is the significance of confusing the USA with "America"? Lou explores this theme, observing that, interestingly, John Brown typically did not make this error. He was quite aware that the problem with slavery and racism against which he struggled was a problem of The United States of America.
This episode is dedicated to the memory of Gabriel Moran, teacher and friend.--LD
If you're interested in exploring Gabriel's thinking about "America," see his book, America in the United States and the United States in America: A Philosophical Essay (iUniverse, 2018).
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"God's Angry Men" Revisited
John Brown Today
04/05/21 • 18 min
In this episode, Lou discusses the historical and cultural context of Charles Sheldon's 1910 poem, "God's Angry Men," which compares the biblical liberator Moses with John Brown. Opening with a reading of the poem by actor Norman Marshall, Lou revisits Sheldon as a clergyman in the "social gospel" tradition, and also features a couple rare vignettes of John Brown getting quite angry, and then traces the theme into the 20th century, featuring another so-called "angry man."
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02/24/21 • 56 min
In this episode, Lou pays a zoom visit to the award-winning folk musicians and activists Terry Leonino and Greg Artzner, the duo known as Magpie. Since 1973, Terry and Greg have brought their unique sound and remarkable versatility to audiences everywhere, featuring traditional and vintage Americana to contemporary and stirring original compositions. With two strong voices in harmony and superb instrumental arrangements, their sound is powerful and moving. Award-winning recording artists, singers, songwriters, musical historians, playwrights, actors and social activists, Terry and Greg are proud to be, as Pete Seeger said of them, “...more links in the chain”, dedicating their lives and music to leaving this world a better place.
Terry and Greg have a particular love for John Brown that has given birth to both a play and to a lot of great music. In the play, "Sword of the Spirit," they dramatize the loving and devoted relationship of John and Mary Brown. In Magpie's related CD, "Sword of the Spirit," they explore many themes of this epic story in songs ranging from the themes of Brown and his family to Harriet Tubman and Frederick Douglass.
In this interview, Terry and Greg reflect upon their lives and influences, their work on John Brown and other progressive platforms, and the nature of their art as a labor of love in making the story of Brown accessible to the public. As Magpie, they also perform three songs from their own John Brown repertoire. So sit back and enjoy a visit with Magpie. . . .
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FAQ
How many episodes does John Brown Today have?
John Brown Today currently has 47 episodes available.
What topics does John Brown Today cover?
The podcast is about Racism, American History, History, Podcasts, Black History, Education, Religion, Civil War and African American.
What is the most popular episode on John Brown Today?
The episode title 'What Did Blacks Really Think of John Brown? Kudos & Conflicts (Part 1)' is the most popular.
What is the average episode length on John Brown Today?
The average episode length on John Brown Today is 35 minutes.
How often are episodes of John Brown Today released?
Episodes of John Brown Today are typically released every 15 days, 6 hours.
When was the first episode of John Brown Today?
The first episode of John Brown Today was released on Nov 8, 2020.
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