The Untold Story of Shields Green: The Life and Death of a Harper’s Ferry Raider

The subject is most famed for accompanying Frederick Douglass, his mentor, to meet with John Brown in August, 1859. When Douglass refuses to participate, Shields Green (aka Emperor) stays with Brown to attack slavery at the federal arsenal in Harpers Ferry, Virginia (now West Virginia).
The author Louis A. DeCaro, Jr. brings well-researched details to the untold story, which begins in Charleston, South Carolina. Green is often called a fugitive from slavery, which is not accurate. The impetus may have been the death of his enslaved wife, but Green himself–also named Esau Brown in some accounts–was free before that time, possibly even never enslaved, according to the extensive research of the author.
Shields Green was one of three of Brown’s raiders who remained alive (with John Brown) at the end of the two-days battles. Two more who had fought escaped but were captured later in Pennsylvania. All were hanged by Virginia. As a man of unmixed African ancestry, his person and demeanor was the most disrespected of John Brown’s followers. No photographs are known of him, so his features are preserved in the art of David H. Strother, the artist-correspondent for Harper’s Weekly. The author has made excellent use of these drawings, which are held at the West Virginia University Libraries.
Recent televised fictional accounts of Shields Green make this book worthy of factual comparison. Recommended.

With a two decades involvement in research into John Brown, DeCaro is well established with a niche in what has been called “the John Brown Literature”; a literature as the author sees it in need of re-framing for the 21st century. DeCaro’s research adds somethings new for readers as he ruminates through the record. His assignations however often interfere with the coherence of his presentation, and although rich in material selection, this seemingly betrays the author’s lack of penetration.

After seeing the movie Emperor, I immediately searched for more information about Shields Green and Harpers Ferry. I am so excited to have this book!

What the hell you are calling him a fugitive!!! He was enslaved and tortured by white killers!!

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