Roger Brooke Taney was an American lawyer and politician who served as the fifth chief justice of the United States from 1836 until his death in 1864. Prior to joining the U.S. Supreme Court, Taney served as the U.S. attorney general and U.S. secretary of the treasury under President Andrew Jackson. Taney's legacy is chiefly defined by the majority opinion he wrote in Dred Scott v. Sandford (1857), which ruled that African Americans could not be considered U.S. citizens and that Congress could not prohibit slavery in the U.S. territories. Born: March 17, 1777 Died: October 12, 1864 In office: March 15, 1836 – October 12, 1864 Wiki link