Ontario's Historical Plaques

at ontarioplaques.com

Learn a little Ontario history as told through its plaques

John Brown's Convention 1858

John Brown's Convention 1858

Photos by contributor Wayne Adam - Posted September, 2011

John Brown's Convention 1858

 

John Brown's Convention 1858

Photo Source - Wikipedia

Plaque Location

The Municipality of Chatham-Kent
In Chatham, on the north side of King Street East
between Princess and Prince Street. The other plaque in the photo
is titled The Abolition Movement in British North America


Coordinates: N 42 24.370 W 82 10.513

Map

Plaque Text

On May 10, 1858, American abolitionist John Brown held the last in a series of clandestine meetings here at First Baptist Church. Brown planned to establish an independent republic within the United States and wage guerrilla war to liberate the South from slavery. He came to Upper Canada to recruit blacks who had fled here in the wake of the Fugitive Slave Law (1850). On October 16, 1859, Brown and 21 supporters seized the government arsenal at Harpers Ferry, Virginia, and held it against counter-attack for two days. Brown, executed as a traitor, became for many a martyr and hero. His actions escalated the tensions between North and South that led to civil war in 1861.

Related Ontario plaques
The Underground Railroad in Canada
The Sandwich First Baptist Church
Josiah Henson (1789-1883)
Mary Ann Shadd Cary 1823-1893
The Buxton Settlement

More
Information

More
Black History

Other Plaques in Chatham
The Abolition Movement in British North America
Chatham Blockhouse 1794
David Mills 1831-1903
Dr. Anderson Ruffin Abbott 1837-1913
Emily Ferguson Murphy 1868-1933
Jean McKishnie Blewett 1862-1934
Kent County Court House
Mary Ann Shadd Cary 1823-1893
Old St. Paul's Church & Christ Church
The Provincial Freeman





Here are the visitors' comments for this page.

(none yet)

Here's where you can write a comment for this page.

Note: If you wish to ask me a question, please use the email link in the menu.

Note: Comments are moderated. Yours will appear on this page within 24 hours
(usually much sooner).

Note: As soon as the comment is posted, a link to it will appear on the home page in the section "Here are the 10 latest plaque pages with a new comment added by a visitor to this site."