"If a white man wants to be your ally, what does he think of John Brown? You know what John Brown did? He went to war. He was a white man who went to war against white people to help free slaves. He wasn’t nonviolent. White people call John Brown a nut. Go read the history, go read what all of them say about John Brown. They’re trying to make it look like he was a nut, a fanatic. They made a movie on it, I saw a movie on the screen one night. Why, I would be afraid to get near John Brown if I go by what other white folks say about him."
~ Malcolm X, on John Brown

 John Brown may not have completely broke down the barrier of slavery, but he did do a significant amount of damage. He had a major amount of influence on the southern states seceding. Brown played a leading role in starting the Civil War. Brown was one of the most influential abolitionists the United States of America had ever seen. He accomplished so many things to help slaves have the rights of a white man. He thought that all men were equal no matter the color of their skin. His belief was that nonviolent protest would never work, and that to change anything he would need to risk his own life and kill others. Brown gave up his own life for the freedom of others, and is seen as figure that was willing to do bad acts in the name of a good cause. This is why Brown is a perfect example of breaking barriers in history.

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