The Legal History of Race and Freedom in America

One of the most repugnant human emotions is racial hatred, and in the United States, this was not only tolerated but also enforced, ingrained deeply into the American legal system. For 150 years, federal and state governments stripped African Americans of their free will, followed by another 150 years of denying them equal protection under the law.

How did these injustices occur in America? How were the laws, including the Constitution, perverted to suppress and oppress individuals, depriving them of their inherent rights? Judge Andrew P. Napolitano reveals the shocking case of Dred Scott in 1857 as a pivotal moment in this tragic history, highlighting the complicity of American leaders from Lincoln to Wilson, from FDR to JFK.

Dred Scott, a former slave from Virginia, sued for his freedom by arguing that he had resided in regions where slavery was illegal. The Supreme Court ultimately ruled against Scott, refusing to grant citizenship to African Americans, thus laying the foundation for government-sanctioned mistreatment that plagued society for generations, diminishing lives, restricting freedom, and leaving a lasting scar on the nation.

"Dred Scott's Revenge" chronicles America's arduous journey towards establishing a new paradigm where the principles of equality and fair treatment are upheld by the government, honoring the belief that "All men are created equal."

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