Upcoming Events
John Brown Day
Event History
Our Mission
John Brown Lives! (JBL!) is a nonprofit freedom education and human rights organization that uses arts and education, advocacy and activism to engage the public in excavating useful legacies of the past in order to inspire community and civic action that addresses critical social justice issues today. We are also the official NYS Friends Group of the John Brown Farm State Historic Site in Lake Placid, NY.
Our Vision
To build the world John Brown envisioned, to inform and inspire civic action, radical empathy, and the creation of a just, livable and joyful society.
Testimonials for the work of John Brown Lives!
Meg B.
from the Adirondack Family Book Festival
“We had such a lovely time visiting the author tables, working our way through the story walks, seeing library pals at their booths, eating our picnic lunch, and catching bits from the talks under the tent. Raúl the Third drew his Little Lobo character on the flyleaf of one of his books for my daughter Juniper, and it blew her mind…The authors were all so generous about their work and process. It’s very heartwarming and likely powerful for published authors to bring a spirit of encouragement and permission to tell stories.”
Jane H.
JBL!’s 25th Anniversary
Taina A.
Vocalist/Songwriter in Residence
Sunita H.
Hands-on History Field Trip to the John Brown Farm State Historic Site
“The homeschoolers look forward to learning from all of you again in the future. Thank you SO MUCH for a truly amazing day that I feel these kids will remember for the rest of their lives….I LOOOOOOOOOVE the way you work with young people and elevate their voices! ”
Stefan S.
Hands-on History Field Trip to the John Brown Farm State Historic Site
“I can’t begin to thank you for providing such a rich and dynamic experience for my students! I can attest that everyone walked away feeling more invested in the story of John Brown and of Timbuctoo. And the kids all raved about the session with Loree! …. I hope to bring an even larger group next year!”
Tiya M.
JBL!’s 25th Anniversary
“It was a wonderful experience, and I thank you for inviting me. Congratulations on such a vibrant, well-attended 25th anniversary celebration! John Brown Lives! clearly has a big local (and regional) fan base. Your community felt uncommon in a very good way.”
Bryan S.
NEH Summer Institute
“We are all implicated when we allow other people to be mistreated. An absence of compassion can corrupt the decency of a community, a state, a nation … we all need mercy, we all need justice, and—perhaps—we all need some measure of unmerited grace.”
Mark R.
John Brown Day 2019
“I wanted to thank you [JBL!] for another awesome experience. Listening to Janet McFetridge, Lewis Papenfuse and Dr. Barbara Ransby opened my mind and heart so much more. I hope I never stop learning or caring.”
Become an Ally
Now is the time to stand in solidarity. How can we do this? For those of us who are White, it means doing the necessary work. Racism isn’t a problem that belongs to Black, Brown, Asian, or Indigenous/First Nations communities; it is a White problem rooted in the white supremacy on which our country was built. Ending white supremacy requires us to commit to becoming actively anti-racist. This means educating ourselves about the lasting impacts of slavery and how these legacies shape our present. We must also listen to and learn from the voices of people of color, rethinking what we were taught and uncovering the parts of history often left out of our education.