Slavery in America and the World: History, Culture & Law

Dred Scott v. Sandford, a Supreme Court decision made in 1857, is largely regarded as one of the most infamous decisions in the Supreme Court’s history. This case determined that people of Black African descent were not entitled to citizenship via the U.S. Constitution, and therefore, they did not have any of the rights granted to white Americans, including the right to sue in court.

While Black history should be learned and celebrated throughout the year, February is nationally designated as Black History Month—and this is thanks to a Black American historian named Carter G. Woodson. Woodson was one of the first scholars to dedicate focus to studying the African diaspora and the heritage and achievements of African Americans. Today, he is widely regarded as the “Father of Black History,” the one who championed designating time to study the rich culture of Black Americans.

Prior to the Civil War, African Americans weren’t allowed to receive an education. Black children weren’t allowed in schoolhouses. Many Black adults were unable to read, or even spell their own name. The Emancipation Proclamation may have freed the enslaved according to legislation, but truly, African Americans couldn’t achieve equality without education. And that’s where HBCUs, or Historically Black Colleges and Universities, came into play.

Slavery in America and the World: History, Culture, and Law brings together a multitude of essential legal materials on slavery in the United States and the English-speaking world. It’s one of HeinOnline’s four perpetually free databases which together comprise the Social Justice Suite—a free-to-access research package intended to facilitate civil discourse. The Slavery in America and the World database is particularly special because of the meticulous development and organization that went into its development, opening up opportunities for unique browse and search tools. Learn how to use these tools in this guide.

160 years ago, the first battle of the American Civil war was fought near a creek running through Manassas, Virginia. The Battle of First Manassas, also known as the First Battle of Bull Run, was predicted to be the war’s first and last battle. Read on to learn more about this moment in history.

Critical race theory is a concept that has been around for decades but became a hot topic of discussion in 2020 after the killings of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, and other African Americans by police officers. Join HeinOnline as we explore what Critical Race Theory is, and its history.

HeinOnline hopes its readers will reflect on the contributions of African Americans all year, but we've put together a guide to discovering both black history and the history of our nation—two areas of study forever intertwined.

People across the United States commemorate the end to American slavery on Juneteenth Day. Celebrate this turning point in U.S. history by exploring HeinOnline's free Slavery in America and the World database.

In popular culture, Presidents' Day has shifted from recognizing only Washington's birthday, and now is commonly known as a day to recognize the lives of American presidents generally. In this blog post, we check out several databases, including Slavery in America and the World, for more information on two of American history's most notable presidents.