The Dred Scott Decision was a landmark Supreme Court case in 1857 that further entrenched slavery in the United States and denied African Americans their rights as citizens. Dred Scott was a slave who had lived in both free states and territories where slavery was prohibited, but his owner still claimed ownership over him. Scott sued for his freedom, arguing that residing in free territory should make him a free man.

However, the Supreme Court, led by Chief Justice Roger Taney, ruled against Scott, stating that African Americans were not considered citizens under the U.S. Constitution and therefore had no rights that white people were bound to respect. The decision also declared that the Missouri Compromise, which banned slavery in certain territories, was unconstitutional, essentially allowing slavery to spread unchecked.

The Dred Scott Decision was a significant blow to the abolitionist movement and heightened tensions between the North and South in the lead-up to the American Civil War. It served as a stark reminder of the systemic racism and dehumanization faced by African Americans in the United States and the legal barriers they had to overcome in their struggle for freedom and equality.