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Dean Johnson Delivers Keynote Speech at the Old Courthouse Reopening

On May 3, 2025, Twinette Johnson, dean of Saint Louis University School of Law, had the honor of delivering the keynote for the reopening of the historic Old Courthouse in downtown St. Louis. The building reopened to the public after wide-scale renovations beginning in 2022. In her opening speech, Dean Johnson addressed the deep connection between SLU LAW and the St. Louis community, emphasizing the importance of educating justice-minded lawyers, comments that brought applause from the large crowd in attendance.

Dean Johnson addressed the famous case of Dred and Harriet Scott, a married enslaved couple who filed a suit for freedom at the Old Courthouse. “In 1846,  St. Louis was a bustling river town teeming with the industry that a bustling river front brings,” Johnson described, “But it was also a town wrestling with slavery and its participation in the horrid enterprise. It is against this backdrop that Dred and Harriett filed their suit for freedom.” The Scotts tragically lost their case after appealing to the United States Supreme Court. 

dean johnson speaks at the podium outside the old courthouse

Dean Johnson delivers the keynote address at the "Journey to Justice" festival to reopen the Old Courthouse. Photo courtesy of the Gateway Arch Park Foundation.

Not only did Johnson honor the Scotts in her speech, but she also reflected on the bravery and tenacity of all of those who sought freedom during the period of 1820-1860. “As I prepared to address you, I thought about all those who may have walked these halls or similar court halls in Missouri in search of freedom,” said Johnson. “These walls around us are filled with their stories– stories of courage, dignity, belief, and hope.” 

“These stories: the remarkable bravery of Dred and Harriet Scott, and the many men and women who filed freedom suits here at this courthouse — remind us that the journey to justice is not always linear,” Johnson continued. “It can be a winding road, filled with breakthroughs and heartbreaks. And in this journey for justice here in St. Louis, each generation pushes forward with the hope that progress, however slow, is still possible.”

The event was hosted by the Gateway Arch National Park, the organization that manages the building and oversaw the renovation.

“Dean Johnson’s leadership, scholarship, and commitment to justice and education make her the ideal voice to help usher in this new chapter of the Old Courthouse,” said Camille Brooks, the director of events at the Gateway Arch Park Foundation, of the choice to invite Dean Johnson. “As keynote speaker, we were honored by the reflections she shared on the enduring legacy of this site, the importance of justice in our community, and the power of place in shaping our collective memory and future." 

Dean Johnson was joined by community leaders, including Congressman Wesley Bell, Mayor Cara Spencer, Ryan McClure, the executive director of the Gateway Arch Park Foundation, and Lynne Jackson, the great-great-granddaughter of Dred and Harriet Scott, for the ribbon cutting.