Dred Scott, who was born a slave in Missouri, traveled with his master to the free territory of Illinois. As a result, Scott later sued his master for freedom, which the lower courts usually granted.

The plaintiff [Dred Scott]... was, with his wife and children ... and consequently his suit against Sandford was not a suit between citizens of different States, and the court had no authority ...

U.S. Supreme Court Justice Roger Taney's unjust majority opinion in Dred Scott v. Sandford shockingly declared Black individuals weren't citizens, solidifying slavery's grip and pushing the nation ...