All posts by Dred Scott Heritage Foundation

Great-great granddaughter of Dred and Harriet Scott of the Dred Scott Decision, 1857.

A More or less perfect union

In honor of Constitution Day, the Free to Chose Network is airing their 2020 production of A MORE OR LESS PERFECTION UNION, exploring the constitution in three one hour segments, featuring the Dred Scott case. Join Justice Douglas Ginsburg on a PBS channel near you or on YouTube and Amazon Prime. Click on the image below to watch online and to check local listings. The St. Louis metropolitan area can watch on Sunday, September 13th on PBS at 8:00 p.m. CST.

Dred Scott visits summer camp

Brenda Young invited Apostolic Women STL to help summer Sun Splash Summer Camp celebrate their final day with Camp Director, Velma Bailey on August 28, 2020.  Brenda share motivational thoughts with the campers.

Bessie Pugh hung out to encourage the kids.  Barry Pugh taught them how to say Philippians 4:13 in 5 languages. Lynne Jackson told them who Dred Scott was and gave each one a Dred Scott “million dollar bill” from the Dred Scott Heritage Foundation to encourage them about the fact that “… even enslaved people can make a difference and be remembered.  If they can so can we!”

Today show highlights Dred Scott in St. Louis

Click on image to watch

The Today Show with Harry Smith highlighted the role St. Louis has played in the civil rights movement.  See interviews with Lynne Jackson, Dred Scott descendant, Ella Jones, Mayor of Ferguson, MO and Lerone A. Martin, Director of American Culture Studies at Washington University. 

First womAn voter

In recognition of the 19th Amendment, women from around the country shared the first woman to vote in their family and highlighted them for the FIRSTWOMANVOTER.COM campaign this August. Click image to view campaign.

special alert – Postponed

To Our Dred Scott Volunteers, Supporters and
Our Freedom Awards Dinner Guests,

On behalf of the Board of Directors of the Dred Scott Heritage Foundation, we are sad to inform you that due to circumstances beyond our control and the consequent local, state, and Federal governmental responses to the current coronavirus and COVID-19, the Dred Scott Freedom Awards Dinner, which was scheduled to take place March 28, 2020, at the Hilton St. Louis Frontenac in MO, is officially postponed, with the intention to reschedule once we are all cleared to re-engage in these community activities once again. 

This past week the Board of Directors have watched and communicated in person, via phone and by email to analyze the situations that led to this decision. With the rapid changes each day, it is no longer necessary to explain this postponement as we are all aware of the state of affairs we are facing leading up to the time we would have had our event. We are in uncharted waters but anticipate a future resolution and hope that each of you who receive this are and will continue to be well. 

Everyone has been patient and even encouraging to continue earlier on until it became obvious that the inevitable is upon us. We intend to reschedule and honor our awardees at the first safe and optimal opportunity. 

Please take a moment to complete the cancellation form link below to allow us to handle your registration refund in the manner you prefer and that you then attend to your travel and hotel arrangements. Please do not hesitate to contact us if you need assistance. 

Please click here to complete cancellation  

 Look for future information on a new date for the 2020 Dred Scott Freedom Awards.

Yours sincerely,
Peggy Lewis LeCompte, Dinner Chairman
Lynne M. Jackson, President 

For those who have hotel reservations at the Hilton Frontenac, the number to contact is 314-824-6028

breakfast and lunch with legends

The last event of 2020 so far turned out to be Breakfast and  Lunch with Legends sponsored by the National Youth Summit, the youth organization founded by Dr. Christi Griffin.  This was a local reprise of the program given in Jackson, Mississippi where descendants of Dred Scott and Frederick Doulgass shared history.  Lynne Jackson and Kenneth Morris.  The breakfast moderator was Maxine Clark of Build A Bear and the lunch moderator was Dr. Benjamin Akande, past president of Webster University. 

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The Faces of reconciliation

The great-great granddaughter of Dred and Harriet Scott will speak on the Lincoln University campus on Tuesday, February 25. Lynne M. Jackson, President and Founder of the Dred Scott Heritage Foundation, will speak at 7 p.m. in Richardson Fine Arts Center. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. The event is free and open to the public.

Scott’s great-great grandfather was the namesake for the United States Supreme Court Case Dred Scott V. John F.A. Sanford (1857), commonly known as the Dred Scott decision. In their decision, the court ruled that Scott, an enslaved person who had resided in the free state of Illinois and free territory of Wisconsin, was not entitled to his freedom due to that fact that the United States Constitution did not consider African Americans citizens of this country. This decision added fuel to the growing discourse that would eventually lead to the Civil War.

dred scott freedom awards dinner

Join us at this black tie affair as we honor men and women who have made major contributions through their gifts and perseverance through our 400 Plus Years of Fortitude Recognition in 2020.

This is the third Dred Scott Freedom Awards Dinner. Several deserving individuals will be honored on Saturday, March 28th at the St. Louis Hilton Frontenac Hotel at 1335 S. Lindbergh Blvd, in St. Louis, MO. This year, our Honorary Chairman is Judge Douglas H. Ginsburg, producer of the 3-part PBS documentary on the Constitution. A More or Less Perfect Union was released on January 25, 2020 and features Lynne M. Jackson (Dred Scott), Keith Plessy (Homer Plessy), and Phoebe Ferguson (John Ferguson).

The 3:00 p.m. VIP Reception and Dinner tickets are $150. The 5:00 p.m. Dinner tickets are $100. Purchase tickets at Eventbrite, see link below or mail your checks to: DSHF P.O. Box 2009 Florissant, MO 63032. For more information, contact the Dinner Chairman, Peggy Lewis LeCompte at 618-593-7196.

For room reservations at the Hilton, contact Kelly in sales at 314-993-1100. Free hotel parking.

Lynne Madison Jackson, President and Founder and Peggy Lewis LeCompte, Dinner Chairman and Past Recipient.

Go here to order tickets on Eventbrite.

Hampton Roads Foundation/VFR

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Stories of the first amendment

STORIES OF THE FIRST AMENDMENT.  FREE EDUCATOR EVENT.

Teachers, you’re invited to attend a very special professional development session on Wed Nov 6, 2019, 4:00-6:00 pm.  Meet First Amendment heroes, hear their stories, and gather techniques and resources to use in the classroom.

• Gene Policinski, President and Chief Operating Officer, Freedom Forum Institute

• Robert Patrick, Reporter on Federal Courts for the St. Louis Post Dispatch

• Mary Beth Tinker, from Tinker v. Des Moines, 1969

• Cathy (Kuhlmeier) Frey, from Hazelwood v. Kuhlmeier, 1988

JUST ADDED:  Hon. Noelle Collins, former journalist and current U.S. Magistrate Judge

JUST ADDED:  Lynne Jackson, descendant of Dred Scott, President and Founder of the Dred Scott Heritage Foundation

Brought to you by the U.S. Courts.  The event is free and includes parking and light refreshments.  Space is limited and registration is required. 

Registration is limited to active classroom teachers and advisors, grades 6-12 and relevant post-secondary, in the areas of social studies and journalism. 

Questions about eligibility or other inquiries?  Call or email Rachel Marshall any time, at (314)244-2410 or [email protected]

• Location: Thomas F. Eagleton U.S. Courthouse, 111 South Tenth Street, 63102

• Parking Location: Stadium West Parking Garage, 215 South Eighth Street, 63102.  OR you can also enter from 100 South Ninth Street, 63102.  (must park here to receive complimentary parking)

Stories of the First Amendment