Courts in the Classroom
Supreme Court of Indiana
Division of State Court Administration
30 S. Meridian Street, Ste 500
Indianapolis, IN 46204

Dr. Elizabeth R. Osborn
Coordinator for
Public History and
Education Programs

Pho: 317.233.8682
elizabeth.osborn@courts.IN.gov

Sarah Kidwell
Outreach Coordinator

Pho: 317.234.3055
sarah.kidwell@courts.IN.gov

 

2011 Outstanding Public
History Project Award
from the National Council
on Public History

More Awards

Courts in the Classroom > Lesson Plans & Materials > Celebrating Black History: the Life and Times of Dred Scott Celebrating Black History: the Life and Times of Dred Scott

About the Event

Celebrating Black History:  the Life and Times of Dred Scott will take place on Tuesday, February 28, 2012 at 10:30 a.m. in the Indiana Supreme Court Courtroom with area high school students.

Utah Attorney General Mark Shurtleff, the author of "Am I Not A Man? The Dred Scott Story," will speak about the book, a historical novel which tells the remarkable story of Dred Scott, events leading up to the Supreme Court ruling decided March 6, 1857, the election of President Lincoln, and ultimately, the abolition of slavery.

Lynne M. Jackson, great-great-granddaughter of Dred and Harriet Scott, will offer her personal perspective on her family and the ruling. She is President and Founder of the Dred Scott Heritage Foundation in St. Louis, Missouri.

Indiana Supreme Court Justice Frank Sullivan, Jr. and Indiana Attorney General Greg Zoeller will introduce the speakers and participate in the discussion portions of the program.

During the program, the guest speakers and the student audience will:

  • Explore the US Constitution and other founding documents in order to discuss slavery in the Early Republic.
  • Discuss the meaning of freedom using the Declaration of Independence.
  • Analyze not only Chief Justice Roger B. Taney's 7-2 decision in Dred Scott v. Sanford, but also the separate concurrences and dissents written by each of the other justices. 
  • Students from the audience will be asked to play the parts of the different U.S. Supreme Court justices.
  • Discuss the relevance of the Dred Scott decision today.

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