John McLean was the first Ohioan to serve on the U.S. Supreme Court, and he’s been called a complex justice.
He was the only committed opponent to slavery on the court before the Civil War. Yet he enforced the Fugitive Slave Laws of 1793 and 1850.
On Jan. 17, the University of Cincinnati College of Law will present a lecture “John McLean: Southern Ohio’s Homegrown Anti-Slavery Justice.” Professor Paul Finkelman will explore the complexities of Justice McLean and his dissenting opinion in Dred Scott v. Sandford.
He joins us on Cincinnati Edition to discuss how McLean tried to balance his opposition to slavery with his obligations to the Constitution.
Guest:
- Paul Finkelman, visiting distinguished professor of law, University of Cincinnati College of Law
The University of Cincinnati is a financial supporter of Cincinnati Public Radio.
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