In advance of its upcoming exhibit on The Freedom Suits (co-sponsored with the Freedom Suits Memorial Foundation), the Law Library Association invites you to check out various resources to learn more about what these lawsuits represented. Below are some resources for you.
Website of the Freedom Suits Memorial Foundation—This website has a wonderful section called “Freedom Suit Plaintiffs: Profiles in Courage.” On this page, you can click on the name of a Freedom Suits plaintiff to learn more about their case. Find it at https://stlfreedomsuits.org/the-plaintiffs/
Website of the Dred Scott Heritage Foundation—Learn more about the most well-known Freedom Suit, Dred Scott v. Sanford, as well as about the lives of Dred and Harriet Scott, on this website. Find the Dred Scott story at https://thedredscottfoundation.org/dshf/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=50&Itemid=93
Books of note: For a deeper dive into the Freedom Suits, check out these books:
In the Shadow of Dred Scott: St. Louis Freedom Suits and the Legal Culture of Slavery in Antebellum America by Kelly M. Kennington. Read more at https://ugapress.org/book/9780820345512/in-the-shadow-of-dred-scott/
57 Years: A History of the Freedom Suits in the Missouri Courts by Anthony J. Sestric. Read more at https://www.nps.gov/jeff/blogs/57-years-a-history-of-the-freedom-suits-in-the-missouri-courts.htm
Plan to visit The Freedom Suits when it comes to the Law Library Association on Tuesday September 3, 2024.