Dred Scott
American slave and legal activist
Born
1795
230 years ago
Died
September 17th, 1858
166 years ago — 63 years old
Category
Activists & Humanitarians
Country
United States
Links & References
Born into slavery in Virginia, Scott later moved to Missouri and was purchased by an army surgeon. After traveling to free territories, Scott filed a lawsuit for his freedom in 1846. The case reached the Supreme Court, where in 1857, the court ruled against him in Dred Scott v. Sandford, stating that African Americans could not be considered citizens and had no right to sue in federal court. This ruling intensified national tensions over slavery.
Filed a landmark Supreme Court case
Dred Scott v. Sandford decision
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