National Coalition Launches “John Brown America250: Renewing the Revolution” to Reexamine America’s Founding Ideals
Virtual Event Marks the First of Ten Multi-State Conversations Leading Into the 250th Anniversary of the United States
A coalition of historians, educators, and public leaders will launch John Brown America250: Renewing the Revolution on Presidents’ Day, February 16, 2026, with a national virtual roundtable, inaugurating a ten-part series examining America’s founding promises and the unfinished work of democracy ahead of the nation’s 250th anniversary.
The kickoff event will bring together scholars and civic voices from multiple states for a public conversation about freedom, citizenship, and how the legacy of abolitionist John Brown reframes the story of America’s founding. “This isn’t simply the launch of a monthly roundtable series,” said Dan Morrison, founder of the John Brown Project and a lead organizer of the coalition. “It’s a coordinated, multi-state reckoning with America’s founding promises and the reality of where we are today.”
The roundtable series will unfold monthly, culminating in a set of coordinated programs and public initiatives tied to America’s 250th commemoration. Organizers say the goal is not partisan debate, but historical clarity—grounded in scholarship, primary sources, and civic dialogue. “By centering John Brown—a figure often simplified or sidelined in traditional narratives—our aim is to widen the frame of America’s origin story and invite communities into deeper engagement with the country’s founding ideals,” said Martha Swan, founder of the freedom education and human rights project, John Brown Lives!.
Each roundtable will be moderated by Brown biographer Louis DeCaro and feature historians and community leaders, with themes ranging from the American Revolution’s promises to the long struggle over citizenship, equality, and civil rights. Events will be open to the public and recorded for broader distribution. The series is organized in partnership with regional historical organizations and educational institutions across several states from California to Connecticut. Additional programming tied to America250 will be announced in the coming months.
Event Details:
John Brown: America250 — National Roundtable Kickoff
Date: Feb 16, 7:00 - 8:00 PM,
Format: Zoom presentation, registration link
For media inquiries, interview requests, or registration information:
Dan Morrison
John Brown Project
Dan@johnbrownproject.org | 860-605-6952
About John Brown: America250
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. JohnBrown: America250 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).
