This is the Old Courthouse in St. Louis, Missouri. Dred and Harriet Scott filed suit for their freedom at this courthouse in 1846. Their case reached the United States Supreme Court and was decided in 1857. The court ruled that the Scotts and all African Americans were not citizens of the United States.
Opposition to the decision was one of the causes of the Civil War and led to the 13th, 14th, and 15th amendments to the Constitution.
The Scotts’ struggle for freedom stands as a defining moment in the history of the Civil Rights movement.
Address
11 N 4th St, St. Louis, MO 63102
Link to Google Map for directions.
