The Dred Scott Statue Campaign

Since the 150th Anniversary Commemoration of the Dred Scott Decision in 2007, it has been a primary goal to erect a statue of these two St. Louis legends.  The Dred Scott Heritage Foundation, Friends of Dred Scott, Young Friends of Dred Scott and the community at large have partnered, and together, we have made this vision a reality.  October 21, 2010 marked the official kick-off of the Dred Scott Statue Campaign with the unveiling of a two foot bronzed maquette of both Dred and Harriet Scott at the Missouri History Museum.   On June 8, 2012, the life sized statue was dedicated on site at the Old Courthouse where Dred and Harriet began their quest for freedom.

 

About the Artist

Harry Weber was born in St. Louis, Missouri in 1942 and educated at Princeton University where he studied art history.

Following his education, Weber served six years in the United States Navy. This included a year on river patrol boats in Vietnam where he compiled a compelling series of drawings chronicling his experiences there.

As a sculptor, Weber has produced a body of work that includes over 100 large and more than 250 smaller pieces. His work embodies human emotion and power with a spontaneity developed from a lifelong habit of sketching from life. He creates sculptures which capture an instant, never static or posed, with a distinct style making maximum use of the natural fluidity of the bronze medium.

Weber sculptures have won major awards at national juried competitions, ?and are in private collections in the United States and abroad.  His work has appeared on the covers of several national magazines.

 

Compelling Facts

• There was no statue of Dred or Harriet Scott in the world until 8 June, 2012.  This is the first and only one which was commissioned and erected in St. Louis, MO
• That Dred and Harriet both filed separate petitions for their freedom but they were later combined into one
• The Dred Scott Decision inspired Abraham Lincoln to run for president
• The 13th, 14th, and 15th Amendments were a result of the Dred Scott Decision and the Civil War
• The Dred Scott Decision was one of the major catalysts to the Civil War
• Dred Scott is buried in Calvary Cemetery in St. Louis, Missouri
• Harriet Scott’s gravesite was discovered in 2006 at Greenwood Cemetery in St. Louis, Missouri
• There are living descendants of Dred and Harriet Scott in St. Louis and other states around the country
• Harriet Scott has a new headstone and a memorial pavilion (dedicated May 2010)
  in Greenwood Cemetery