The Dred Scott Case Collection

The Dred Scott Case Collection is a digital collection of case documentation from the historic Dred Scott case. This case took place in 1864, and declared Mr. Scott to be a slave despite his claims of a right to freedom. The decision is credited with increasing tensions between states before the civil war. This digitization project is part of a digital partnership between the University of Washington libraries and the Missouri State Archives.

1) Selection Decisions
There is not a lot of material available through this website, and only court documentation has been digitized. No materials providing context are made available through this project. No selection decisions are stated on the website, and the people who are responsible for making these decisions are not named. All 85 documents presented in the case have been digitized and are made available through the website.

2) Metadata
Basic descriptive metadata is provided, including the title of the legal document, the date of issue, as well as the court dates and the ruling judge. Structural metadata is also provided, such as the corresponding document number and the ability to move through the documents chronologically.

3) Object Characteristics
The images are made available at both 600 and 2000 pixels. A link to each of these images is next to a thumbnail of the document, as well as a short descriptive caption of the object. Document transcription is also available in both pdf and MS Word formats.

4) Intended Audience
This collection is intended to be used by researchers who already have a clear idea of the Dred Scott case and it's implications. Though links are included to other sites that provide context, this project is only presenting the legal documentation of the case. Those with legal knowledge would get the most information out of these documents.