When spouses Dred Scott and Harriet Scott sued for their freedom, on March 6, 1857 the Supreme Court lead by Chief Justice Roger Taney ruled against them and caused outrage by declaring the Missouri Compromise (which had been approved by Congress) unconstitutional as well as denying the right of ANYONE of African descent, free or enslaved, to be a U.S. citizen. Considered one of the worst court decisions ever made, it helped prime the stage for the Civil War.

Sources:

1. PBS video What Was the Dred Scott Decision?,

2. 2019 book Dred Scott: The Inside Story by David Hardy,

3. 2016’s ...