Harriet Scott

Harriet Scott was an enslaved woman who, alongside her husband Dred Scott, became a key figure in the struggle for African American rights in the United States. In 1846, they sued for their freedom based on their residence in free territories. The case reached the U.S. Supreme Court, which ruled in 1857 that African Americans could not be considered citizens and had no right to sue in federal court, effectively denying the Scotts their freedom. This landmark decision deepened national divisions over slavery, contributing to the tensions leading up to the Civil War. Harriet's case remains significant in American history.