Together: An Inspiring Response to the “Separate-But-Equal” Supreme Court Decision that Divided America

Gr 7 Up–In this transparent and multi-dimensional account, Nathan astutely examines the historical context and consequences of the Plessy v. Ferguson Supreme Court case of 1896. Past and present are intertwined to provide a reflective space about race in America and the decisive action of advocates who fought and continue to fight for equal civil rights. The text chronicles the events leading to the passing of the Separate Car Act, to Homer Plessy’s day in court before Judge John Howard Ferguson in 1892, to the creation of Jim Crow laws resultant of the Supreme Court’s 1896 “separate-but-equal” ruling. Readers witness the meeting of Keith Plessy and Phoebe Ferguson, descendants of Homer Plessy and Judge Ferguson, and their shared creation of the Plessy and Ferguson Foundation. Institutional struggles are brought to the foreground as Nathan highlights the foundation’s resolve to educate the public and address continued battles against discrimination and white supremacy. Titled sections, photographs, precise resources, and citations are included, allowing the text to clearly depict a chronological history of race relations in New Orleans. Readers will be eager to learn more. Nathan spotlights the pursuit for change and for a better, unified world through the decisions of past figures and the determined efforts of Plessy and Ferguson’s present-day descendants.