Features: Author imagines slave's life through novel

When self-described "South Jersey girl" Mary E. Neighbour came across a plaque commemorating Dred Scott, she couldn't recall whether he had won or lost the famous Dred Scott v. Sanford case. In the 1856 case, Scott, an African-American slave, pleaded for his freedom before the U.S. Supreme Court. Scott argued that he had lived as a slave in territories where slavery was illegal.

"As I learned that he lost the case, I became interested in this man, who was kept illiterate, and how he got to the Supreme Court," Neighbour said.

Scott's case was lost on grounds that he could not file suit in a federal court because he did not own any property. In Neighbour's historical-fiction novel "Speak Right On," she creates her own account of what Scott's life may have been like.

"Scott once said, 'There is not a drop of the white man's blood in my veins. ' My ancestors were free people of Africa,' " Neighbour said. "That quote riveted me. I based my character on Scott as a very articulate and persuasive person."

What most intrigued Neighbour was the lack of available information on Scott's life. Both his birth date and real name are unknown.

"You can find out a lot about the case, and you can find out a lot about the people who owned him," Neighbour said.

"But no one bothered to pay attention to who this particular individual was." Through her own experiences Neighbour believed that she could identify with Scott.

"I grew up in a very diverse neighborhood, which wasn't so common in the late '50s and early '60s," said Neighbour. "I saw the civil-rights protesters, the marchers, and I still feel... that those people are the most courageous people I've ever seen."

Neighbour believes that today's readers could benefit from hearing Scott's story.

"I think we've come to a point in this culture that we think we know about slavery, but in a way I don't think we absorb not only the horror of it, but the legacy of it," Neighbour said. "Even though we, as a country, managed to put an end to slavery, we did not manage to put an end to racism."

Mary E. Neighbour will sign copies of her book "Speak Right On" from 7-10 p.m. Thursday at Barnes & Noble, 1805 Walnut St.