Reading Thoreau's writing about John Brown reminded me that when I was in school in the 60's,  I was taught that John Brown was "crazy."  When I became a fifth teacher of American History, I studied more deeply, gaining insights into other perspectives, and  I knew that what I was taught was wrong.  I looked for other resources to tell his story.  In that pursuit, I found Jacob Lawrence.  See his work  "The Legend of John Brown Series" here.  His paintings were also used in a book written for children.  The cover and the first two pages are below.  I read that book to my students every year.