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.
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.
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.
Go here to order tickets on Eventbrite.
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)
THE 3D PRINTED REPRODUCTION OF
THE DRED AND HARRIET SCOTT STATUE
The first Dred Scott Statue to be erected will be reproduced via 3D printing and sold as a limited edition art piece beginning October 12th.
The Dred Scott Heritage Foundation has partnered with Think A Little Bigger, a 3D printing company located in Saint Louis, to create a limited edition 3D printed reproduction of the Dred and Harriet Scott Statue that stands at the Old Courthouse in downtown Saint Louis.
The statue, commissioned by The Dred Scott Heritage Foundation, was designed and created by master sculptor Harry Weber. Since the Dred and Harriet Scott statue was erected in 2012, there have been many requests for a reproduction by individuals, groups and organizations. A bronze piece was an option, but recent technological advances have allowed the development of a more cost effective, signed, handcrafted, limited edition fine art piece.
Each piece stands 14 inches tall including a simulated marble base and is carefully crafted with a meticulous eye for detail. This is being announced on September 17th which coincides with Constitution Day, and ironically is also the day Dred Scott died.
This product will launch on October 12th, 2019 at the Dred Scott Reconciliation Conference. For details and registration, go to DSRC Conference. *The 2019 Conference is approved for four CLEs.
From August 2019 – August 2020, the Dred Scott Heritage Foundation commemorates 400 + Years of Fortitude of Americans of African descent and their contributions to our country.
On April 3, 2019, the Virginians for Reconciliation hosted the descendants of Dred Scott and Roger B. Taney for a day-long visit and programs as an early event in their year long recognition of the 400th year anniversary (1619 -2019) of the first Africans who arrived in Virginia in 1619.
The reconciliation committee, lead by former Governor Bob McDonnell, was formed in 2018 to support racial healing through conversation and policy changes.
The day included a visit to the Capital Building and the State House, where Lynne Jackson (Dred Scott) and Charlie Taney (Chief Justice Roger B. Taney) visited and addressed many of the legislative groups. They were recognized in the General Assembly along with former Governor Bob McDonnell by Presiding Officer of the Senate Justin Fairfax, Delegate Delores McQuinn, Speaker Kirk Cox and introduced and bios read by Delegate Roslyn C. Tyler.
Pastor Sylvester Turner and Rev. Ben Campbell took the entourage to the Richmond Slave Trail. At this site, the enslaved disembarked from the long voyage from Africa and began another most difficult journey.
A somber visit to Lumpkin’s Jail revealed an underground holding facility for enslaved persons that was confirmed by archaeologists in 2005. It was covered over and will soon become a part of a museum. While in office, former Gov. McDonnell appropriated $11,000,000 for the of the construction of the site renovation.
Amid several interviews with CBN, NPR, a Virginia Union University student reporter, Jackson and Taney were assisted by Attorney Paul Hedges, acting ED for VFR, Lynne Ross, Legal Consultant and past ED for NAAG, Rhian Senseman, Executive Assistant, VFR and Keith Westbrook, Administrative Assistant to Delegate McQuinn. The group made their way to Virginia Union University where Lynne and Charlie spoke and shared their story of meeting, connecting, apology and forgiveness and interacted with the audience. Thank you to all who made this possible. A special thanks to former Governor Bob McDonnell and co-sponsors Virginians For Reconciliation., Virginia Union University and Virginia Commonwealth University. To watch the full program, click here.
Additional Resources:
Descendants of Dred Scott, Roger Taney attend reconciliation event at VUU (Richmond-Times Dispatch)
Descendants of racist Supreme Court decision pledge ‘truth-telling, forgiveness and redemption’ (Capital News Service)
Main Image: Lynne Jackson (left), a great-great-granddaughter of Dred Scott’s, and Charles Taney, a descendant of Chief Justice Roger Brooke Taney’s, spoke Wednesday at VUU. Photo taken by JAMES H. WALLACE/TIMES-DISPATCH
As a guest of Project Say Something and the University of North Alabama Office of Diversity and Institutional Equity, Lynne spoke at the University on Feb 25, 2019. Project Say Something of Florence, AL is campaigning to erect a monument of former residents Dred and Harriet Scott in front of their local courthouse to contextualize the Confederate monument that has stood there since 1903. The Scotts were chosen after a year-long campaign to educate, raise awareness, and seek an alternative to the existing monument, which is protected by Alabama state law. The Scotts’ struggle for justice inspired the group; they believe the Scotts’ perseverance in their fight for freedom is an important reminder for future generations that justice is often a struggle.
We believe this dedication is deserving of all the attention that can be given. Again, it is with sincere gratitude offered to Missouri Artist/Sculptor, E.S. Schubert for immortalizing Dred Scott with your work. Thank you.
This portrait of Civil Rights Icon, Dred Scott was originally commissioned for the Hall of Famous Missourians. The first of the edition resides in the Missouri Capitol Building in Jefferson City, Missouri. This sculpture was dedicated on May 9, 2012, one month before the dedication of a statue of Dred and Harriet Scott outside of The Old Courthouse in St. Louis, MO, making it the first known monumental statue of Dred Scott.
Content source: E.S. Schubert Sculpture Studios
