On Dec 2, 1859, Abolitionist John Brown was the first American ever executed for treason. The second ever executed for treason was Aaron Dwight Stevens (March 15, 1831 – March 16, 1860).

Their crimes? Attempting to free the enslaved. The first Americans executed for treason was for the crime of freeing the enslaved.

Legality is not always a measure of justice & morality, but a measure of power. This was only two life spans ago.

May we learn from these atrocities & uphold justice forever.