BIO

Hello! I am a freshman at Florida State University from Nashville, TN. I am currently majoring in Criminology, and I plan to dual degree in Psychology. I am a Presidential Scholar, a member of the FSU Marching Chiefs, and a member of Lambda Alpha Epsilon. My career goals are still unknown, but I love learning in my Criminology and Psychology classes! Although this research project wasn't directly related to my field, I have enjoyed every step of this process, and I have enjoyed getting to know my research mentor, Dr. Houck, more. I plan to use my UROP experience to further develop my research skills in the future, hopefully through a Directed Independent Study!

Writing His Life: The Life and Death of John Brown in Letters

Abstract

This review analyzes the life and death of John Brown through letters – letters which were written while Brown was on death row in 1859. John Brown received the death penalty in October of 1859 and was sentenced to be hanged on December 2, 1859, for his role in the Raid on Harper’s Ferry. During his short time in jail, he wrote many letters to friends and family members detailing his jail experience and instilling a sense of hope into his recipients. Since then, most of the letters have been lost to history; however, after countless hours of researching and reading, this review has compiled a collection transcribing the only letters that have survived history. Additionally, after collecting these letters, we have turned to rhetorically analyzing them. The analysis includes detailing how these letters contributed to the United States Civil War, the role of religion in the 1800s, and the importance of preserving history. These letters are incredibly important to history, and yet, there is seemingly little to no research on them. That is why this project was created: to accumulate and analyze these letters that are such an integral part of the history of the U.S.

Keywords: John Brown, abolitionist, history