From 1836 until his death in 1864 and delivered the majority opinion in the controversial dred scott case. Next we discuss chief Justice Taney and how it affected the civil war. The Supreme Court Historical Society hosted this event. It is a little under an hour. [ applause ] thank you very much, mr. Goldman. Historians like me because,r,n know, every faculty, every respectful law faculty has a legalp5yx historian but how important they are depends on how much you think the history behind the constitution or any other statute depends upon what was the understanding at the time, which is what historians can tell us. So i use history ians more than most people and they like me more than most people, i think. [ laughter ] well, im happy to welcome all of you tor aju i guess t is the third in our series of lectures named after the former president of the Supreme Court Historical Society. And this lecture is, as you have heard, on it is its the third in a fourpart series on the Supreme Cour
People, i think. Well, im happy to welcome all of you to this i guess its the third in our series of lectures named after the former president of the Supreme Court Historical Society. And this lecture is as you have heard on its the third in a fourpart series on the Supreme Court and the civil war revisited. The Historical Society has an Educational Outreach mission that includes these lectures. It includes Training Programs for teachers. And it includes the publication of such publications as court watchers, eyewitness accounts in Supreme Court history which came out a few years ago which is a general interest history of the court with firsthand anecdotes. My colleagues on the court and i appreciate the societys wide and varied efforts to improve public understanding of the Supreme Court and of our nations constitutional form of government. I could go on about other efforts that the Supreme Court Historical Society has made in that regard but you are here for a lecture on chief juice
Started there was more equal protecti protection, due process. Many of the things we hold most dear. The right to vote. The pan pli of civil rights in litigation. Legislation. Amendment. Bringing back the details of this case allows us to see the humanity of the persons behind the famous suit. And i would like to say that i think we should remember what the scotts stood for because then we can see them not as victims but as heroes who lost the fight. Knowing their story connects us to them. It allows us to recognize that they sought an objective thats universal and transcendentally human. They were denied access to the federal courts but being recognized as citizens was never the satisfaction they were seeking. They were seeking a much mf fundamental right. The fundamental hum right to protect the stability of they family and provide a future of freedom for their children. These are the rights that all personals seek from their government and from their courts. They sought protection f