Tag Archives: Reconciliation

Commemoration, Reconciliation

Celebrating the Life of John Lebourgeois

In July 2024, we celebrated the life of a dear friend and family member, John LeBourgeois, the great-great-grandson of Charlotte Blow, daughter of Dred Scott’s original owners (Peter and Elizabeth Blow) who left this world on April 11, 2024. He was a member of Dred Scott Presents:  Sons and Daughters of Reconciliation and a staunch and devoted supporter of the Dred Scott Heritage Foundation along with many of his family members. 

John and his wife Mimi, one daughter Anne and a nephew, Ashton, met Lynne Jackson in Southampton, VA at the dedication of the Dred Scott Blow Family Highway marker installed by another Blow descendant, Jeffrey Hines.  Because of Facebook, total strangers met whose lives were entwined. The other daughter, Louise, has participated in three major Dred Scott programs in Marshfield, Missouri, St. Louis, and at Calvary Cemetery.

The LeBourgeois family has been as dear to us today as their ancestors were to Dred Scott, helping him and Harriet in their eleven-year battle for freedom.  Today the family is engaged in helping us promote the principals and necessities as well as the joys of reconciliation.  I spoke at the memorial which was held in John’s favorite spot, Promontory Point Field House on Lakeshore Drive in Chicago, Illinois. John was a man of many disciplines and everyone who attended thought we knew him, until we heard the warm and hilarious stories about his life and career at the memorial.   I found out John was an artist. The caricature portrait of John was drawn by Tom Bachtell.

John’s family graciously invited donations to be sent to the Dred Scott Heritage Foundation and The Whitney Plantation. Rest in peace dear John and thank you for representing what God’s humanity to man can look like.  We will always remember and love you!

Lynne

Announcement, Commemoration, Education, Event, Reconciliation

The Faces of reconciliation

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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.

Education, Event, Reconciliation

Hampton Roads Foundation/VFR

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Announcement, Commemoration, Education, Recognition, Reconciliation

Announcing . . .

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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.

Announcement, Commemoration, Education, Event, Reconciliation

400+ years of fortitude (1619 – 2019)

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.

400+ years of fortitude (1619 – 2019)

Announcement, Collaborate, Educate, Event, News, Recognition

st. louis county courts podcast

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St. Louis County Courthouse, Clayton, Missouri

In July, 2018, Dred Scott Presents: Sons and Daughters of Reconciliation presented for the National Judicial College.   It is the nation’s most influential institute for the continuing education of judges.  It was a wonderful experience inspired by Judge Judy Draper and by invitation of  NJC President Benes Z. Aldana.

The following interview comes out of the connections with this program and the county court’s diversity programs held in St. Louis County in 2018.  Mr. Matt Livasy, HR Specialist III and Training and Development Officer, started a podcast for the courts, All In Kids Win.  He invited Lynne Jackson to share the work of the Foundation. Many thanks to Matt and the county courts for this opportunity.  Click the link below to listen to the podcast.

https://wp.stlcountycourts.com/2019/06/aikw-24-dred-scott-heritage-foundation/
Announcement, Collaborate, Commemorate, Educate, Event, News, Reconciliation

Virginians for reconciliation

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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)

Lumpkin’s Jail Timeline

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