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Dred Scott Decision, 1857

Dred Scott
Dred Scott

#OTD Mar 6, 1857, in Dred Scott v Sandford, the SCOTUS ruled that Black people were not American citizens and could not sue in courts of law. The Court ruled against Dred Scott, an enslaved Black man who tried to sue for his freedom. Chief Justice Roger B. Taney delivered the majority opinion: He stated that the Founding Fathers did not intend for Black people to be considered citizens and that Congress had no power to ban enslavement in the territories.

#DredScottDecision #DredScottv.Sanford #RogerB.Taney

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"Dred Scott Decision, 1857." Historianspeaks, March 7, 2026. https://historianspeaks.org/blog/dred-scott-decision-1857-1.

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