On Saturday, the historic Old Courthouse downtown reopened its doors following five years of renovations. The day was commemorated with the Journey to Justice festival, which offered a full day of programming surrounding the building’s rich and complex history.
The event drew a long list of distinguished guests, including Mayor Cara Spencer, U.S. Rep. Wesley Bell (D-St. Louis), and St. Louis Circuit Attorney Gabe Gore.
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In the courthouse rotunda, a series of intimate “fireside chats” brought influential voices to the forefront. Speakers included acclaimed visual artist Cbabi Bayoc, award-winning actress Jenifer Lewis, and Lynne Jackson, great-great-granddaughter of Dred and Harriet Scott.
Originally under construction from 1839 to 1862, the Old Courthouse has been the site of several pivotal moments in American history, but it is best-known as the place where Dred and Harriet Scott brought their freedom suit, in 1846. In 1857, the U.S. Supreme Court denied their freedom and declared that African Americans were not citizens, deepening the nation’s divisions over slavery.
Jackson is the founder and president of the Dred Scott Heritage Foundation, established to preserve and share the legacy of Dred and Harriet Scott. The foundation highlights the couple’s 11-year legal battle, which reshaped the course of American history. The reopening, complemented by a new exhibit focused on the Scotts, reinforces this mission to inspire future generations.
“After the five years of the courthouse being closed, it is very exciting for it to be open again,” Jackson says. “Especially with the new emphasis they have on our history and the significance of the courthouse. I’m thrilled because our histories are not going away, and we’re not going to stop telling them.”
READ MORE: Old Courthouse prepares to reopen with new exhibits and features
Lewis, another speaker in the “fireside chat” series, reflected on the painful history of the courthouse, as well as the significance of the event’s programming. The Kinloch native, known for her roles on Black-ish and The Preacher’s Wife, has been called “the Mother of Black Hollywood.”
“The Old Courthouse reopening, especially at a time like this, [represents] so much history, so much evolution of humanity, and how absolutely hideous it was back then,” Lewis says. “So many wonderful people were at the ceremony this morning. Usually, I’m talking and carrying on, but they made me listen because they talked about Harriet and Dred Scott. They talked about the suffrage movement, they talked about inclusiveness, and I listened. I was fed hope, courage.”
As the new exhibit opens, Jackson imagines how her great-great-grandparents might react to seeing their legacy unfold where their fight for freedom began.
“They would very slowly walk up the steps and just be speechless for a while,” Jackson says. “They would be able to greatly appreciate where we are today.”
