University of nebraska lincoln Professor William thomas, teaches a class on some of the lawsuits brought by slaves who sued for their freedom during the antibell lum period. He outlines the different legal arguments they used and emphasized how most suits affected not just one person but entire families. Okay, good morning, everybody. Lets get started. So today, our subject is freedom suits. Suits brought by enslaved families, and how they posed a challenge to the constitution, and under the constitution, how they posed a challenge to american slavery. Now, most of us are familiar with dread scott, d. John sandford and you all read chief Justice Roger tawnys opinion in dred scotts case. And you have read that opinion, and its notorious in American History, right . For the blatant racism in it, for the sanction that tawny gives to the concept of human property under the constitution, and for denying black citizenship, not only denying black citizenship, but denying even blacks as free,
The constitution did not go beyond. So about these suits, generally, just broadly, and then were going to look at one in particular here. It is important to recognize everything was on the line here. Black plaintiffs directed these suits, okay . They planned these suits. William h. Williams was one of the most notorious slave owners. He owned the yellow house. It was sometimes called a slave pen. We looked at one case, the film we checked out the other day, and that one was similar in that george Millers Tavern was a slave. He is by the 17 and the single largest slaved jail on the city of washington and its called the yellow house. And james ash was taken there and held there and well see why in just a second in 1839. A few months later a man named solomon northrup was taken to the yellow house. He was the star of 12 years a slave. And solomon who was kidnapped and taken to be sold to louisiana and to the southeast, can he was taken to the yellow house after he was kidnapped, and he wr
Well, now we know where we are going. I dont mind, but snakes. How did the skipper say it . I heard him. He said okinawa. They say this place looks like the country around frisco. They say people are like. Drove up from l. A. , made it in eight hours. What was holding you back . I used to make it to buffalo in new york in six flat. 370 miles. Right here we are closer to japan than that. We are 320 miles from their home office. You heard him. That is what the old man said. That is closer than new york. I always felt safe in st. Louis music it is awfully close. Mighty close. Yes, mighty close, especially for a modern bomber with a job to do. One hour away from any number of airfields. Here we were, closer than any fleet in history. At midway, in the coral sea, the marianas, distance had been against the japanese air force, but now against the inner islands, the range was easy for any plane that could fly. There were those who said no fleet could risk it, but the stakes were high. With ok
Well, now we know where we are going. I dont mind japs, but snakes . How did the skipper say it . I heard him. He said okinawa. They say this place looks like the country around frisco. Yeah. But the people look like japs. Frisco. They dont like it in San Francisco when you call it frisco. Spent my honeymoon up there. Drove up from l. A. Made it in eight hours. 400 miles. Eight hours . What was holding you back . I used to make it from buffalo to new york in six flat. Thats 370 miles with heels. 370 miles. Right here were closer to japan than that. Were just 325 miles from their home office. You heard him. Thats what the old man said. 325 miles. Its closer than milwaukee to st. Louis. I felt safe in st. Louis. Its awfully close. Mighty close. Yes, mighty close. Especially for a modern bomber with a job to do. About an hours run from any number of jap air fields. Here we were, closer than any fleet in history to a major landbased air power. At midway, in the sea, distance had been again
music music well, now we know where we are going. I dont mind japs, but snakes. How did the skipper say it . I heard him. He said okinawa. They say this place looks like the country around frisco. They say people are like japs. Spent my honeymoon there. Made it in eight hours. What was holding you back. I used to make it to buffalo in new york and six flat. 370 miles. Right here we are closer to japan than that. We are 320 miles from their home office. You heard him. That is what the old man said. That is closer than new york. I always music it is awfully close. Mighty close. Yes, mighty close, especially for a modern bomber with a job to do. One hour from any number of jap airfields. Here we were closer than any fleet in history. At midway, in the coral sea, even the mariana, it had been against the japanese air force, but now against the inner islands, the range was easy for any jap plane that could fly. There were those who said there was no fleet, but the stakes were high. With oki