Learning from Dred Scott's Legacy

Truth: Eight years ago I would have walked right past the statue and the Old Courthouse in St. Louis. If I had stopped at the statue, I would have said, “Dred Scott. Never heard of him. Funny name.” . . Now, we walk and investigate together. Now, we take the time to walk across the street and might sing a history song we know about him. And have some kids tell me about his role in history. At least they know his name! . . Then we look up more. Add more facts to our pegs. Never stop learning. . . Dred and Harriet Scott bravely stood up to the courts and fought for their freedom from slavery. After many local cases, they needed up at the US Supreme Court in 1857 to be told that they weren’t citizens because they were African Americans and didn’t even have the right to sue. And that they were not free. I didn’t know until tonight that he died a year later shortly after being manumitted (freed). He didn’t even live to see the Civil War for which he played a pivotal role as one of the causes. . . Take the time. History is everywhere. Just open your eyes. More of us need to know about real people who did real things. So thankful that we can learn all these together!