Louis A. Decaro Jr.

Louis A. DeCaro, Jr. has loved history and theology from his youth. He did graduate work at New York University up to the doctoral seminar with the intention of writing about Girolamo Savonarola, the Dominican monk of Florence in the Renaissance era. However, his interests in black studies and passion for racial justice led him toward Malcolm X, the subject of his doctoral dissertation and his first two books with NYU Press. As a result of reflecting upon Malcolm's ideas, Lou became interested in looking closely at the controversial abolitionist, John Brown. He has proven the most prolific writer on Brown's life since the abolitionist was hanged in 1859. Lou's continued work on Brown includes deep research on his life and letters. He is an associate professor of church history at Alliance Theological Seminary in New York City, and holds graduate degrees from Westminster Theological Seminary and New York University, and a Ph.D. from New York University. He is married to Michele Sweeting DeCaro, a gospel vocalist and educator, with whom he has a teenage son. He lives with his family in New York City. Lou has kept a blog, "John Brown the Abolitionist: A Biographer's Blog," since 2005.