John Brown: America250 is a loose coalition of historians, educators, artists, journalists, organizations, and advocates—often calling ourselves Browniacs—from fourteen U.S. states and one Canadian province, each connected to a chapter of John Brown’s life and legacy. #JohnBrown250 is organized under a Cradle to Grave partnership between two John Brown–based nonprofits: The John Brown Project in Torrington, Connecticut (where Brown was born), and John Brown Lives! in North Elba, New York (where he is buried).

We are doing this because we know that John Brown got a bad rap in history—mostly from people who history has shown to be terribly wrong. At this moment of national reflection, it is important to highlight Americans who acted on the nation’s highest ideals—even when doing so was difficult, costly, or unpopular.