Today in Black History: March 6th
1857 – Dred Scott Decision Ruled
The Dred Scott v. Sandford decision (1857) ruled on March 6, 1857, that African Americans, whether free or enslaved, could never be U.S. citizens and had no legal rights. The Supreme Court also declared the Missouri Compromise unconstitutional, denying Congress the power to prohibit slavery in the territories. This decision deepened national divisions and hastened the Civil War.
Widely condemned as the worst ruling in Supreme Court history, Dred Scott was overturned by the 14th Amendment (1868). The case remains a stark reminder of how the law has been used to uphold racial injustice, influencing civil rights struggles that continue today.
1947 – Howard Franklin Jeter Is Born
Howard Jeter, born March 6, 1947, in Union County, South Carolina, was a U.S. ambassador to Botswana and Nigeria. He attended a one-room schoolhouse before graduating as valedictorian from Sims High School in 1964. Jeter earned a political science degree from Morehouse College, later studying in France, and received master’s degrees from Columbia University and UCLA.
Joining the U.S. Foreign Service, Jeter served in Mozambique, Tanzania, and Namibia before becoming ambassador to Botswana (1993–1996) and Nigeria (2000–2003). Retiring after 27 years, he held leadership roles in international affairs and received numerous awards for his diplomatic service.
2012 – Donald Milford Payne Passes Away
Donald Payne, the first African American elected to Congress from New Jersey, was born in Newark on July 16, 1934. He earned a B.A. from Seton Hall University in 1957 and later led the YMCA, becoming its first Black president in 1970. Payne entered politics in 1972, serving on the Essex County Board of Chosen Freeholders. After two unsuccessful congressional bids, he won a seat in 1988.
A dedicated legislator, Payne chaired the Congressional Black Caucus and played key roles in education and foreign affairs. He led efforts on African issues, the Iraq War debate, and humanitarian missions. Payne passed away on March 6, 2012 at 77.
