Dred Scott 1799-1858:
Born enslaved he took a bold action and tried to sue his way to freedom for himself and his family. He failed. Along the way he took a nation into the heart of the question, “What is an American?”
In this program we talk about Dred Scot and his family, as well as the society and issues that surrounded them. We also discuss the landmark 1857 Supreme Court decision in Dred Scott v. Sandford (the Dred Scott case) and as a consequence of the decision what happened to the Scotts and the Nation.
What the Program aims to do:
Involve participants in their national history through story, give a historical context to political issues of today, and offer participants a safe community venue to grapple with history and it’s legacy.
Program themes:
What is an American?
Failure
Deferred Dreams
How stories change based on when and who is doing the telling
Positive change from dark times