On April 6th, 1846, Dred and Harriet Scott walked into the unfinished St. Louis Courthouse in downtown Saint Louis, Missouri, and in an act of bravery, filed separate petitions against Irene Emerson for their freedom.
On that day, one of the most important lawsuits in American history, one that would ultimately hasten the start of the Civil War and divide an already divided country, began. It would take ten years and reach as far as the supreme court before it ended.

On this episode of America's National Parks Podcast, the Dred Scott Case, and Gateway Arch National Park.

A full transcript, resources for further study, and music credits are available at nationalparkpodcast.com/dred-and-harriet-scott.

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America’s National Parks Podcast

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Dred and Harriet Scott