~ 1777 - 1864
Roger B. Taney was an American lawyer and politician who served as the Chief Justice of the United States from 1836 until his death in 1864. He is best known for delivering the controversial majority opinion in the Dred Scott v. Sandford case, which denied citizenship to African American slaves and was a significant factor leading up to the Civil War. Taney's legacy is often criticized for its impact on civil rights and the judicial interpretation of slavery.