Dred Scott v. Sandford 1857

Could a person of African descent whose ancestors were enslaved be a citizen with standing to sue in federal court?

60 U.S. 393 (1857)Citizenship and immigrationSuperseded by the Fourteenth Amendment

The question: Could a person of African descent whose ancestors were enslaved be a citizen with standing to sue in federal court?
What the Court held: No. The Court held that such persons were not citizens under the Constitution and that Congress could not prohibit slavery in the territories, striking down the Missouri Compromise line.
The vote: 7–2
Answered by amendment: The Fourteenth Amendment, ratified 1868: Everyone born or naturalized in the United States and subject to its jurisdiction is a citizen; no state may deny any person life, liberty or property without due process of law, or the equal protection of the laws.
Era: Sectional crisis and Civil War
Read the opinion: 60 U.S. 393 (1857), full text

This page summarizes the Court’s judgment in neutral terms. The opinion, concurrences and dissents are the authority; read them for the reasoning.