OnOctober16,1859,JohnBrownandhisbandofeighteenraidersdescendedonHarpersFerry.Inanill-fatedattempttoinciteaslaveinsurrection,theyseizedthefederalarsenal,tookhostages,andretreatedtoafireenginehousewheretheybarricadedthemselvesuntilacontingentofUSMarinesbatteredtheirwayinonOctober18.Theraiderswererouted,andseveralwerecaptured.Soonafter,theyweretried,convicted,andhanged.AmongBrown’sfighterswerefiveAfricanAmericanmen--JohnCopeland,ShieldsGreen,DangerfieldNewby,LewisLeary,andOsbornePerryAnderson--whoselivesanddeathshavelongbeenovershadowedbytheirmartyredleaderandwho,eventoday,arelittleremembered.OnlyAndersonsurvived,laterpublishingtheloneinsideraccountoftheeventthat,mosthistoriansagree,wasacatalysttothecatastrophicAmericanCivilWarthatfollowed.FiveforFreedomisthestoryofthesefivebravemen,thecircumstancesinwhichtheywerebornandraised,howtheycametogetheratthisfatefultimeandplace,andthelegaciestheyleftbehind.ItisanAmericanstorythatcontinuestoresonate.
