The miniseries is based on James McBride's 2013 novel of the same name, and the author was involved in the production, calling John Brown 'a real hero to me and to many Black people who are no longer alive.'

The project was adapted by Ethan Hawke and Jason Blum, with Hawke and Mark Richard serving as creators and executive producers, and Blumhouse Television, run by Jason Blum, acting as a production partner.

Daveed Diggs and Wyatt Russell joined the cast in August 2019 to play Frederick Douglass and First Lieutenant J. E. B. Stuart, respectively.

Joshua Caleb Johnson and Rafael Casal were cast in July 2019 as Henry 'Onion' Shackleford and John Cook.

Principal photography began in July 2019 in Powhatan, Virginia, near Richmond.

Four different directors—Albert Hughes, Kevin Hooks, Darnell Martin, Haifaa al-Mansour, Michael Nankin, and Kate Woods—each directed an episode of the series.

The score draws on Black musical genres such as gospel, blues, and spirituals, mostly performed by Black artists, with the theme song 'Come On Children, Let's Sing' sung by Mahalia Jackson.

The series received a 98% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes and a Metacritic score of 84, indicating 'universal acclaim'; however, Marty Brown, a descendant of John Brown, wrote a letter to The New Yorker noting the show's characterization of Brown didn't reflect the work of his historians and biographers.