During the period of the Oklahoma City bombing, the Unibomber and the various other violent political acts perpetrated by extreme radicals I became quite fascinated by the media’s treatment of the driven individuals that carried out these acts. That treatment was of course instant vilification. And while I certainly don’t condone acts of violence, it seems to me that they, and the public in general, seem to completely forget the course of American history and the positive effects of radical acts on our current freedoms. I suppose it depends on what side of history you fall on as to wether you are or become a sinner or a saint. Which brings us to John Brown.

John Brown shares a lot of traits with these men. He was fixed on his mission. He believed himself anointed by God to carry out his work. He was headstrong and obstinate, and let nothing deter him from his goal. He could be incredibly ruthless as well as incredibly foolish. He was both a liberator of men and a cold-blooded murderer. "Remember that there can be no redemption of sin without the shedding of blood," he said.

John Brown was a failure during his lifetime at almost everything he tried to do. The Harper’s Ferry Raid was a dismal failure too, except for one point, it lit the fuse that started the Civil War and in the end freed the slaves. Lincoln might be known as the Great Emancipator, but his actions were made inevitable by the chain of events John Brown set in motion.

One thing we know for sure about John Brown, he was right.

Tyrone Georgiou received his Masters of Fine Arts from Yale University. A native New Yorker, he has been the recipient of various awards and grants including a National Endowment for the Arts Fellowship. His work has been seen in Solo and Group Exhibitions through out the country. A Professor of Art at the University at Buffalo/SUNY for over twenty five years he is currently head of the photography program.