Abolitionist John Brown is hanged in Charles Town, Virginia, for his raid on Harpers Ferry.
At a Glance
- Date
- 2 December 1859
- Location
- Charles Town, Virginia
- Key people
- John Brown
- Category
- Abolition & Slavery
- Source
- Court records (1859) · National Park Service
What It Meant Then
His death made him a martyr to abolitionists and a specter to the slaveholding South.
What It Means Now
Brown's execution helped push the nation toward civil war.
Cite this page
- MLA
- “John Brown Is Executed.” Black-History.com, 30 Sept. 2026, https://black-history.com/on-this-day/john-brown-is-executed/.
- APA
- Black-History.com Editors. (2026, September 30). John Brown Is Executed. Black-History.com. https://black-history.com/on-this-day/john-brown-is-executed/
- Chicago
- Black-History.com Editors. “John Brown Is Executed.” Black-History.com. September 30, 2026. https://black-history.com/on-this-day/john-brown-is-executed/.
Editorial Note
By the Black-History.com editors. Last reviewed 30 September 2026. To suggest a primary source or a correction, write to editors@black-history.com or use our corrections form.