Downtown in St. Louis, Missouri — The American Midwest (Upper Plains)
The Old Courthouse
Photographed By Frankie, April 22, 2013
1. The Old Courthouse Marker
Inscription.
The Old Courthouse. . On April 6, 1846, a slave named Dred Scott and his wife Harriet sued for their freedom in this courthouse. The Scotts had been taken by their owner to free jurisdictions and then returned to Missouri, a slave state. In 1857, Chief Justice Roger B. Taney of the U.S. Supreme Court announced the decision in the case of Dred Scott v. Sandford. He stated that Americans of African ancestry were not eligible to be citizens, based on the historical claim that they "had no rights which the white man was bound to respect." Taney's opinion also declared that Congress could not prevent the spread of slavery into the Western territories. This decision fueled sectional conflict which led to the Civil War.
On April 6, 1846, a slave named Dred Scott and his wife Harriet sued for their freedom in this courthouse. The Scotts had been taken by their owner to free jurisdictions and then returned to Missouri, a slave state. In 1857, Chief Justice Roger B. Taney of the U.S. Supreme Court announced the decision in the case of Dred Scott v. Sandford. He stated that Americans of African ancestry were not eligible to be citizens, based on the historical claim that they "had no rights which the white man was bound to respect." Taney's opinion also declared that Congress could not prevent the spread of slavery into the Western territories. This decision fueled sectional conflict which led to the Civil War.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Notable Events. A significant historical date for this entry is April 6, 1846.
Location. 38° 37.536′ N, 90° 11.333′ W. Marker is in St. Louis, Missouri. It is in Downtown. Marker is on 11 North 4th Street. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Saint Louis MO 63101, United States of America. Touch for directions.
The marker is to the left of the main entrance to the Old Courthouse.
Photographed By Frankie, April 22, 2013
3. Interior of the Old Courthouse
Credits. This page was last revised on January 30, 2023. It was originally submitted on July 23, 2018. This page has been viewed 257 times since then and 26 times this year. Photos:1, 2, 3. submitted on July 23, 2018. • Bill Pfingsten was the editor who published this page.
