BH-Chapter7

women pounding rice

cotton fields

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AN INSPIRING HISTORICAL FICTION DRAMA SCRIPT BASED ON SCOTT V SANFORD, THE (7-2) U.S.SUPREME COURT RULING READ BY CHIEF JUSTICE ROGER TANEY ON MARCH 6,1857 THAT STATED THAT NEGROES-WHETHER FREE OR SLAVE-ARE NOT UNITED STATES CITIZENS BY THE CONSTITUTION. ADDITIONALLY, THE NORTHWEST ORDINANCE OF 1787 COULD NOT CONFER CITIZENSHIP OR FREEDOM TO NEGROES WITHIN THIS TERRITORY. AND FINALLY, THE 1820 MISSOURI COMPROMISE PROVISION DISALLOWING SLAVERY NORTH OF MISSOURI EXCEEDED CONGRESSIONAL POWER AND THUS, THIS PORTION OF THE LEGISLATIVE ACT WAS NULL AND VOID. AS A RESULT DRED AND HARRIET SCOTT WITH THEIR CHILDREN (ELIZA AND LIZZY) HAD NO JURISDICTIONAL POWER TO UTILIZE THE FEDERAL COURTS TO OBTAIN FREEDOM OR CITIZENSHIP. THIS RULING SET THE STAGE FOR THE LINCOLN-DOUGLAS DEBATES OF 1858 AND THE CIVIL WAR. HARRIET SCOTT’S TREMENDOUS SUPPORT OF HER HUSBAND, DRED, IN HIS FREEDOM SUIT, FIGHTING TO KEEP HER FAMILY TOGETHER, AND THE UNENDING PLIGHT TO HAVE HER DAUGHTERS LIVE”FREE”IS A REMARKABLE TRIBUTE TO WOMEN AND MANKIND. THE STORY BEGINS AT FORT SNELLING IN WISCONSIN TERRITORY IN MAY 1836 WHERE DRED AND HARRIET SCOTT ACTUALLY MEET.

black children soon after civil war era

MARCH 31, 1852 DRED WELL, THE TRIAL WENT POORLY. THE KIDS REALLY HAVEN’T HEARD ABOUT IT YET. IT’S JUST COMING OUT IN THE PAPERS THIS WEEK WHICH WE CANNOT READ. I KNEW IRENE WOULD PROBABLY WIN ON AN APPEAL. IT TOOK HER TWO YEARS WITH US LOCKED UP IN PRISON EXCEPTING WORK. HARRIET WHAT WAS THAT LEGAL STUFF ABOUT COURT JURISDICTION?

slave quarters

DRED OH, YOU MEAN THE POWER OF THE COURT TO EVEN HEAR THE CASE? HARRIET WELL, WE GOT THROUGH THAT. I GUESS WE WERE KIND OF HALF CITIZENS-BEING ABLE TO BRING THE CASE BEFORE THE MISSOURI SUPREME COURT. ALL I CAN DO IS KEEP PRAYING AND GOING TO CHURCH. YOU KNOW WE HAVE MUCH SUPPORT WITHIN OUR CHRISTIAN COMMUNITY HERE

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IN ST. LOUIS. THE AFRICAN BAPTIST CHURCH COMMUNITY IS FABULOUS AND STRONGLY SUPPORTS OUR CAUSE. DRED YES-WE’LL NEVER LEAVE OUR CHURCH-AND CHARLOTTE BLOW! HARRIET CHARLOTTE IS A GREAT WHITE LADY. THAT FAMILY HAS SO MUCH TOGETHER. THEY SUPPORT EACH OTHER AND US VERY WELL. THEY ACT AS IF WE ARE BOTH ONE OF THEIR VERY OWN. THEY HAVE FUNDED THIS TRIAL FOR MUCH OF THE TIME.

plantation cooking scene

DRED IT’S WONDERFUL THAT YOU FOUND THAT GERMAN MANSION FOR ELIZA AND LIZZY ON BREMEN AVENUE. THEY ARE REALLY TURNING INTO GREAT STUDENTS. HARRIET YES, BUT I’M GETTING SO SICK OF WORKING FOR EDWIN LABEAUME. IT’S THE SAME OLD STUFF-NEVER GETTING AHEAD. I WANT MY FREEDOM JUST SO I CAN REST SOME. I’M SO TIRED. AND NOW ANOTHER TRIAL NO DOUBT. DRED YES, THE MISSOURI SUPREME COURT BELIEVED IRENE, HER WITNESSES, HER ATTORNEYS, THE WHOLE THING. ONLY JUSTICE HAMILTON GAMBLE DISSENTED IN THE MISSOURI SUPREME COURT. I’VE ALREADY BEEN TOLD IF WE CAN GET ROSWELL FIELD TO REPRESENT US IN FEDERAL COURT, WE CAN USE THE DISSENT WHICH STATED THE MISSOURI COURTS DISREGARDED MANY PREVIOUS CASES SIMILAR TO OURS-CASES LIKE WINNEY V WHITESIDES WITH A FREE SLAVE IN ILLINOIS BEING GRANTED FREEDOM AND THE RACHEL V WALKER CASE. THE COURTS HAVE CHANGED FOR THE WORSE. WE NEED A GOOD ATTORNEY WHO REALLY KNOWS SLAVE LAW.

former slaves post civil war

HARRIET I CANNOT BELIEVE THE MISSOURI SUPREME COURT DISREGARDED RACHEL V WALKER COMPLETELY. IT WAS THE SAME TYPE OF CASE WITH THE SAME CIRCUMSTANCESFORT SNELLING AND A MILITARY SLAVE. OH, I GUESS THE COURT FELT WE WEREN’T RESIDING IN FREE TERRITORYWE WERE UNDER MISSOURI LAW AS SLAVES BECAUSE OUR MASTERS WERE ONLY IN ILLINOIS OR WISCONSIN TERRITORY TEMPORARILY. SAD-VERY SAD. DRED THE ANALOGY BY LYMAN NORRIS IN THE TRIAL-WHO I’LL NEVER FORGET-WAS THAT WE WERE PROPERTY LIKE

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HORSES: THAT DRED AND HARRIET SCOTT WERE NEVER CITIZENS-EVEN AFTER RETURNING TO MISSOURI-BECAUSE WE ARE, AND NEVER COULD NOT BE, NEGRO SLAVES. HARRIET THIS DECISION DIDN’T SURPRISE ME-IT WAS ACCORDING TO SOME, “POPULOUS”-MEANING WITH THE TIDE OF THE PEOPLE OF MISSOURI. EVEN MANY OF THE PEOPLE OF JEFFERSON CITY IT SEEMS WERE AGAINST THIS HARSH RULING. DRED IT’S HARD FOR ME WHEN WE EAT LEFTOVERS EVERY NIGHT, HAVE ONE CHANGE OF CLOTHES, NO MONEY, NO INDIVIDUAL RIGHTS OF ANY SORT-WHY ANY HUMAN WOULD DENY OUR RIGHTS TO BE FREE. IT’S JUST NOT FAIR-JUST ISN’T. WE ARE THE ONLY RACE THAT IS INELIGIBLE FOR CITIZENSHIP IN A COUNTRY FOUNDED UPON PERSONAL FREEDOMS. IT’S JUST NOT RIGHT HARRIET!

plantation smokehouse

HARRIET AGAIN, I’VE SAID THIS IS A LONG HAUL-A VERY LONG HAUL. IT IS OUR LIVES, DRED-BUT WE WOULDN’T BE ANY WORSE OR BETTER OFF IF WE WEREN’T FIGHTING OUR SLAVERY. WE HAVE MET SO MANY GOOD PEOPLE OF ALL RACES THROUGH THIS FIGHT. I’M CONVINCED THERE IS MUCH GOOD IN THIS WORLD-EVEN THOUGH RIGHT NOW ALL WE’VE FOUGHT FOR OUR CHILDREN MAY BE LOST. BUT I’M WILLING TO KEEP ON GOING IF YOU ARE. DRED I’M EXCITED HARRIET-JUST LISTENING TO YOU-REMEMBER I MET OUR NEW ATTORNEY CLEANING OFFICES-A GREAT CONSTITUTIONAL ATTORNEY-ROSWELL FIELD. HE’S THE GREATEST ADVOCATE OF FREEDOM-JUST DOWN THE STREET OFF BROADWAY-NEAT LITTLE THREE STORY HOUSE. HE’S SO SICK OF ME BECAUSE EVERY DAY I ASK HIM WHEN WILL I BE FREE? YOU MET HIM THAT ONE DAY AND EVEN TALKED ABOUT THE CASE WITH HIM.

execution of a deserter

HARRIET YES-GO ON-WHAT DOES HE SAY NOW THAT THE MISSOURI COURT HAS DENIED OUR FREEDOM? DRED WELL, HE KNEW NEITHER OF US COULD READ OR WRITEBUT WE COULD TALK, HAD FEELINGS, AND WE REMEMBER EVERYTHING. GET TO THE POINT DRED!

HARRIET

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DRED HE WAS OVERWHELMED WHEN THE JUDGE IN OUR LAST CASE IN THE MISSOURI SUPREME COURT SAID THAT HARRIET AND DRED SCOTT WERE ATTEMPTING TO OVERTHROW THE GOVERNMENT. HARRIET SOMETIMES I FEEL THAT EVERYONE ACTS SO STUPID-WE WERE JUST ASKING FOR OUR FREEDOM. MANY AFRICANS FOUGHT IN THE REVOLUTIONARY WAR FOR FREEDOM FROM ENGLAND. WHY ARE WE BEING DENIED OUR RIGHTS WHEN MANY OF OUR ANCESTORS GAVE THEIR BLOOD FOR FREEDOM-FREEDOM FOR ALL? IT’S SO WRONG, SO VERY WRONG. OUR SOCIETY IS COLOR BLIND.

picking cotton in the south

DRED ROSWELL FIELD BELIEVES THAT SINCE IRENE HAS MOVED EAST AND REMARRIED, WE ARE NOW PROPERTY OF JOHN SANFORD WHO LIVES OUT EAST IN A DIFFERENT STATE THAN MISSOURI. HARRIET WE ARE STILL SLAVES WITH A DIFFERENT OWNER-THAT’S ALL. DRED NO! ROSWELL DEFINITELY WANTS TO SUE IN FEDERAL COURT, NOT IN A MISSOURI STATE COURT FOR OUR FREEDOM. THIS ISN’T A DREAM. HE WANTS TO ABSOLUTELY DO THIS IF HE CAN GET OUR CASE. HE’S SO TIRED OF ME ASKING FOR FREEDOM WHEN I CLEAN HIS OFFICE. HARRIET I’M KIND OF GETTING IT, DRED. KEEP TALKING-YOU LOVE TO TALK-I KNOW THAT.

slave auction scene

DRED YES-WELL, AFTER HE REVIEWS THE CASE ROSWELL FIELD WANTS TO FILE THE CASE IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT-A FEDERAL COURT IN ST. LOUIS-AS THE SCOTTS’ FUNDAMENTAL RIGHTS V SLAVE RIGHTS AS PROPERTY OF SANFORD, WHO IS OUT EAST AS OWNER OF US. NOW IRENE HAS LEFT ST. LOUIS WITHOUT TELLING US-THOUGH WE ARE STILL BEING LOANED OUT FOR WORK. THE COURT DISALLOWED IRENE TO RECLAIM US BUT SHE GAVE THE EMERSONS THE YEARS OF WORK WAGES BY THE SCOTTS AS HELD BY A BOND BY THE GOVERNMENT. HARRIET BUT I’VE HAD IT, DRED-MY HOUSE IS A LEAN-TO ON 10TH AND 11TH STREETS JUST NORTH OF WASHINGTON STREET. NOT WHAT I CALL MODERN LIVING. SO WHERE ARE WE? WE

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NOW BELONG TO MR. SANFORD WHO WE DON’T EVEN KNOW AND HE’S 1500 MILES AWAY. DRED THIS IS DIVERSITY OF CITIZENSHIP, HARRIET-A FANCY TERM MEANING LEGALLY WE ARE CITIZENS OF DIFFERING DOMICILES. IRENE ACTUALLY GAVE US MORE RIGHTS TO SUE BY TRANSFERRING US AS PROPERTY TO JOHN SANFORD, HER BROTHER. IF WE FAIL IN THE ST. LOUIS DISTRICT FEDERAL COURT WE CAN ACTUALLY GO TO THE UNITED STATES SUPREME COURT UPON APPEAL. HARRIET WE’LL BE GRANDPARENTS BY THEN, DRED-VERY OLD. DRED I WANT TO BUY YOU A HOUSE, HAVE A YARD OF OUR OWN, A PLACE FOR OUR KIDS TO COME HOME-A REAL SANCTUARY. I WANT TO PROVIDE AND GIVE YOU THE REST THAT YOU DESERVE. I WANT OUR KIDS AT HOME WITH US-EVEN THOUGH THE GERMAN MANSION ON BREMEN AVENUE HAS BEEN VERY GOOD FOR THEM. I HATE THE LEAN-TO ALSO. YOU DON’T HAVE TO CONVINCE ME.

cotton fields scene

HARRIET DRED-I’M SO SICK OF WHITE LAUNDERING . . . AND I’M SURE YOU ARE SO SICK OF WHITE WASHING. DRED AND WE WILL GET CHOLERA SOON IF WE CANNOT GET BETTER WATER AND FOOD. HARRIET I’M SO SICK OF BEANS, GRAVY, OLD BREAD, AND BARELY GETTING BY WITH THESE SCRAPS IN THE SAME KETTLE. DRED BUT WE HAVE OUR FAMILY AND EACH OTHER. WE WILL GET THROUGH THIS AND BE FREE.

slave auction

HARRIET I’M JUST SO WORN OUT IN THE PROCESS. I FULLY UNDERSTAND WHY OVER THE LAST 400 YEARS OF SLAVERY THE AFRICANS DIDN’T FIGHT THIS-IT IS SO EXHAUSTING AND CONSUMING. DRED WE HAVE NOTHING TO EAT TONIGHT-I GAVE WHAT WE HAD TO ANOTHER SLAVE FAMILY IN MUCH WORSE CIRCUMSTANCES THAN US.

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HARRIET WHAT ABOUT ROSWELL FIELD? TELL ME MORE IF HE IS CARRYING OUR CASE TO A FEDERAL COURT. I WANT TO BE SURE-WE ARE PRACTICALLY LAWYERS NOW AFTER GOING THROUGH THREE TRIALS ALREADY.

slave auction scene

DRED HE IS THE ABSOLUTE GREATEST ATTORNEY. IN FACT ROSWELL CHARMED AN ENGAGED LADY OF SOCIETY INTO MARRYING HIM WITH HER FAMILY’S DISAPPROVAL-SO MUCH SO THAT SHE WENT BACK AND MARRIED THE ORIGINAL SUITOR. WELL, ROSWELL WAS SO UPSET THAT HE SUED AND WON A CASE FOR BIGAMY AGAINST THE LADY-CITING HIS NEED TO INHERIT THROUGH THE LADY’S MOTHER AFTER THE FATHER HAD DIED. ROSWELL WENT FURTHER AND EXPOSED AND SUED THE LADY’S MOTHER FOR BIGAMY AFTER SHE HAD BROUGHT HERSELF UPON A DOCTOR WHOSE WIFE WAS MEDICALLY BLIND. HE WON A COUNTER CASE AGAINST HIMSELF FOR DEFAMATION IN VERMONT SUPREME COURT-AND HIS LEGAL CAREER TOOK OFF. HARRIET THIS IS THE ATTORNEY I WANT ON OUR FREEDOM CASE-A RUTHLESS BULLDOG. DRED RIGHT! ONCE A FEELING GETS WITHIN ROSWELL FIELD, NOTHING WILL GET IT OUT UNTIL IT IS RESOLVED IN HIS FAVOR. HARRIET I SEE YOUR TRUE GOOD AS A PERSON, DRED-WE WILL EVENTUALLY WIN WITH GOD AT OUR SIDE. GOODNIGHT AND LOVE. GOODNIGHT AND LOVE.

slave auction scene

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DRED

End of Chapter 7, Beloved Harriet.