Abstract
In a widely reprinted 1987 speech, Justice Thurgood Marshall characterized the Supreme Court's decision in Dred Scott v. Sandford as accurately reflecting the Founders' views on many subjects, including race. The author argues that Dred Scott was dead wrong on almost all counts-as many contemporaneous commentators, including Abraham Lincoln, understood. It was not helpful to our understanding of history and constitutional law for Justice Marshall to have resuscitated this horribly misguided decision.
Keywords
Dred Scott v. Sanford, Justice Thurgood Marshall, Founding Fathers
Publication Date
2006
Document Type
Article
Place of Original Publication
Washington University Law Quarterly
Publication Information
66 Washington University Law Quarterly 1 (1988)
Repository Citation
Jensen, Erik M., "Commentary: The Extraordinary Revival of Dred Scott" (2006). Faculty Publications. 457.
https://scholarlycommons.law.case.edu/faculty_publications/457
