In 1859, 2 years before the start of the American Civil War, John Brown figure of abolitionism attacked the Federal Armory and Arsenal at Harpers Ferry with a group of 21 men
(16 whites and five blacks). His goal was to capture the 100,000 weapons were stored there to equip an army of escaped slaves and obtain a free land in the slave state of Virginia. The Federal government has sent troops and Brown was executed for attempting to arm former slaves.
The building still bears its name in honor of the man who tried to raise an army before the hour to destroy slavery.
Source : TJJohn12