1806 — Dred Scott Born in Virginia

Dred Scott, whose Supreme Court case would become one of the most infamous in U.S. history, was born into slavery on May 20, 1806, in Virginia. He later sued for his freedom in a legal battle that culminated in the 1857 Dred Scott v. Sandford decision. The U.S. Supreme Court ruled that African Americans, whether free or enslaved, were not U.S. citizens and had no right to sue in federal court. This decision intensified national divisions over slavery and is widely considered a catalyst for the Civil War. Scott’s life and legal fight exposed the dehumanizing nature of slavery and the entrenched legal structures that upheld it. Although he lost in court, the case ignited national outrage and laid the groundwork for future civil rights struggles. Remembering Scott’s birthday is a reminder of the law’s potential both to oppress and to awaken movements for justice.