I, Dred Scott: Fictional Slave Narrative Based on the Life and Legal Precedent of Dred Scott

by Shelia P. Moses

Born into slavery in Virginia in the late 1700s, Dred Scott had little to look forward to in life. But he was fortunate in two His first owner was fairly kind to him, and he grew up with his owner's children, forming friendships that he would come to depend on years later. For on April 6, 1846, Dred Scott and his wife, Harriett, their ownership having changed hands several times during adulthood, took the dangerous and courageous step to sue for their freedom, entering into legal battles that would last for 11 years. During this time Dred Scott would need all the help and support he could get, from folks in the community all the way back to the people with whom he had been raised. With a foreword by Dred Scott's great-grandson, Shelia P. Moses' stunning story chronicles Dred Scott's experiences as a slave, as a plaintiff in one of the most important legal cases in American history, and, at last, as a free man. Dred Scott's story is one of tremendous courage and fierce determination. His is a life that should be known by, and should inspire, all Americans.

Genres: Historical Fiction, Fiction, Middle Grade

Audible Audio

First published January 1, 2005

About the author

Poet, author, playwright, and producer Shelia P. Moses was raised the ninth of ten children on Rehobeth Road in Rich Square, North Carolina. She is the co-author of Dick Gregory's memoir, Callus on My Soul, as well as the award-winning author of several books for young readers. Shelia lives in Atlanta, Georgia.

Reviews

[Chelsea · Rating 5 out of 5]

A heartfelt crafted story which tells of the horrors of slavery in language all ages can grasp and hear without such graphic detail the book would deserve an R rating. This fictionalized story allows readers to see into the live of slaves without giving children too harsh of a taste early on. readers can read this story and make connections between this fictionalized character and what they have learned about slavery up to this pint as well as creating a sounding board for future history lessons. The wood cut illustrations are a fabulous addition to this book.

[Emily Hora · Rating 3 out of 5]

ACOTAR is taking me way longer and I have a red eye flight to catch!! Cheers

[book.to.frame · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love being introduced to iconic figures during slavery through middle grade books because I know they won't get too graphic and I have the option of deciding whether or not I want to pick up the adult book about them and learn the horrible truth of their past. This is someone I looked forward to learning more about in the future.

[Monique · Rating 4 out of 5]

So, found this book in a box of discarded books that were donated to the library (yup I get some real goodies sometimes) and decided to read it before passing it on to an awesome US History teacher though sadly she just ended a unit on him but it may help her for the next year in planning..Anyways this is just a short fictional narrative of about 74 pages told from the point of view of Dred, a slave born in America to parents and family he has never known..All he does know is that he is owned by Massa Blow and his familiy and that he must work for them in fear of being sold to somewhere worse. As he goes through life with his family everything changes with deaths and marriages and Dred is sold to a new master, hired out to different plantations often and given the chance to marry a slavewoman he loved however when the money was there to buy his freedom he is denied. Frustrated and ready to live as free people Dred and his wife seek legal help to sue their owners after finding out about the Missouri Compromise and the law prohibiting and allowing slavery in certain states. Under this law and what he has learned he and his wife by working in free states are actually free and for years they take their case up to the Supreme Court changing history with its ruling and inciting enough fear and discomfort in the North to be a precursor to the Civil War. This case, arguably one of the most infamous in the Supreme Court history is told here in real dialect and easy to follow timelines and reflections on how life must have been for him. To feel less than a person and to be sold without consideration or care really affected him and saddens me to this day to relive. Reading that should be required for all as it shows the value of people and the horror and degradation of slavery on a person brought here against their will..Powerful reading glad I spent a little time with.

[Chanelle S · Rating 4 out of 5]

“I was born in Southampton, Virginia, somewhere ‘bout 1799. I ain’t got no ways of knowing my right age, ‘cause I was born a slave. No mamma, no pappa, and I do not know if I have a sista or brother on God’s earth. . . . Or maybe they was taken away and ain’t no telling where they is now.”

This is the beginning of the story of the life of Dred Scott, a slave who was made famous because he sued his owners for freedom, and his case went all the way to the Supreme Court—where it was decided that even though he had lived in Illinois, a free state, he was still a slave. This decision was one of the big ones that led the Northern states into the Civil War.

But Dred Scott was not a fancy, well-educated man; he could neither read nor write, just like many other slaves. So not much is known about his life. This book imagines what his life as a slave was like and how he came to sue his owners for freedom.

(REVIEW: No violence or meanness to Scott and his family despite his status as a slave in this book. A simple retelling of what might have been the case based on the few facts that are known about him. His great-grandson wrote the foreword of this book, saying that he feels the narrative might be a good summary of Scott’s life. A timeline in the back of the book gives what few facts are known, and the inscription on his gravestone, newspaper eulogy, etc., are also in the appendix. Could stir a low-level reader into a new appreciation for Scott. Dialect, but not hard to follow.)

[Justin · Rating 3 out of 5]

In the fictional slave narrative, ¨I, Dred Scott¨, Dred Scott is a slave along with his slave Harriet. Dred had a lot of masters in the begging but his last master who died was Master Emerson along with his wife Miss Irene. Emerson brought Dred and Harriet in and out of the free territory, which made them free slaves. Later, Master Emerson dies and he now has Miss Irene be the mater of the free slaves. Dred and Harriet finally find out they are free people at church one day. They go to court.

An Important qoute is ¨I guess you would say that me, my wife, and children were slaves with no Masa.¨ This quote is from Dred Scott. This is the turning point of the fictional slave narrative. The family then tries to buy their freedom from Miss Irene but she does not let them.

I liked learning about all the traveling a slave does. Also I liked learning the reality about a slaves life and how tough it really was. If you are looking for a book about slavery and what happens, this is the book for you.

[Stephanie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fast and fascinating historical fiction about Dred Scott, an enslaved African American man in the United States who unsuccessfully sued for his freedom and that of his wife and their two daughters in the Dred Scott v. Sandford case of 1857, popularly known as the "Dred Scott case." Listened to the audiobook version, as well, which was poignant and beautifully narrated, and with a personal foreword written and read by Dred Scott's descendant - great-grandson John A. Madison, Jr.

Highly recommend this for understanding the historical events that were prelude to Lincoln's Emancipation Proclamation.

[Mary Frances · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great historical fiction account of the life of Dred Scott, whose federal case Scott vs Sanford, solidified the need for Civil War over slavery. A great read for kids to understand the hardship and frustration of slavery without it being overwhelming. Glad we read this.

[Deborah LaRoche · Rating 4 out of 5]

Quick read, packed with everything you didn't know about Dred Scott, his family, and his owners.

[Juliette · Rating 3 out of 5]

Short limit assessment of decision and impact.#BlackAuthors

[Loveliest Evaris · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very short but still poignant story of Dred Scott. I heard about him in AP US History, but we just ghosted over him to get to the Civil War. Apparently he did get his freedom in the end.

Seriously, why didn't his mistress let him free? She was married in the North TO an abolitionist for God's sake. Seriously.

Super short, like I said; the story itself is probably less than 80 pages. But the voice used to narrate it made it seem like someone in the clouds had been writing down his thoughts as he recalled his unremarkable slave life up until his struggle for his freedom in court. There isn't much on his early life, mostly because 1) Not much on individual slaves' lives specifically unless they're famous or they have written a memoir after being freed or escaping, and 2) As a slave, you basically grow up not thinking of yourself as worth much, so the voice and leanings toward the "important information" like his trial and his running up and down Wisconsin and Illinois with his Master-Doctor also seem...accurate in the mentality of a slave who lived in a time like that.

[Mat · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this powerful little volume to all four of my children at once. It was a fantastic way to start A dialogue around racial injustice in our country.

[Erin · Rating 4 out of 5]

I picked this up at the library to read to my children during our unit on the civil war. I had heard the name Dred Scott and I knew it had to do with a legal issue, but that was about all I knew. I thought this small book was well written, consice, and very easy for children to understand. Sometimes legal issues are very complicated and hard to explain to children. Shelia Moses did a good job making the story interesting as well as understandable.

Although a children's historical fiction, I liked the brevity and emotionally stirring writing. I would recommend it to anyone with a beginners knowledge of the Civil War, wanting to know more of how it may have effected the lives of those involved.

[Lucia · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was on one CD and it was very interesting to listen to. Although it was a Fictional piece, it was based on the facts. All middle school and high school kids should have to listen to or read this for history class.

[Michelle Armstrong · Rating 4 out of 5]

We did a mock trial of the Dred Scott case my sophomore year of high school, so I was somewhat familiar with the details of the cases, but hearing this told from a (fictionalized) perspective added a great deal. God, this was less than two centuries ago.

[Jo · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an intresting yardstick. I read this for a college history class. My son read it in the 5th grade.

[Caren · Rating 3 out of 5]

A fictional narrative about Dred Scott, that I believe, 5th graders could use in their course on America.

[Michelle L. · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book will be great for my 5th graders in studying about slavery. Fictionalized story of Dred Scott's life but full of facts and history!

[Kimbolimbo]

Quick. Learned something. Good. Would like more.

[Royce Ratterman · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read for personal research - found this book's contents helpful and inspiring.
A good book for the researcher and enthusiast.

[Brenda Thompson]

Excellent fictional account of Dred Scott. The book chronicles Dred Scott's experience as a slave. Very inspirational book.

[Nicole · Rating 4 out of 5]

The voice in this book was spectacular. It seemed like someone is recording an interview with a real person who is just telling their story. It's not the most exciting, but it works here because of the voice being so realistic.