Five for Freedom by Eugene Meyer follows the story of 5 African American men who were involved in the infamous raid on Harpers Ferry on October 16, 1859: John Copeland, Shields Green, Dangerfield Newby, Lewis Leary, and Osborne Anderson. Overshadowed by the legend of John Brown, their tales have been largely forgotten until now. Meyer pieces together their lives, involvement in the raid, and legacy, exploring how their actions acted as a catalyst to the Civil War.