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

by Amy Nathan

Keith Plessy and Phoebe Ferguson were both born in New Orleans in 1957. Sixty-five years earlier, in 1892, a member of each of their families met in a Louisiana courtroom when Judge John Ferguson found Homer Plessy guilty of breaking the law by sitting in a train car for white passengers. The case of Plessy v. Ferguson went all the way to the Supreme Court, where the justices ruled that "separate-but-equal" was constitutional, sparking decades of discriminatory laws across the South. In Coming Together, Amy Nathan threads the personal stories of Keith Plessy and Phoebe Ferguson into the larger history of race relations and civil rights movements in New Orleans and throughout the United States. She tells the inspiring story of how Keith and Phoebe came together to form the Plessy and Ferguson Foundation which aims to teach the history of the case and support those who continue to fight for their rights today.

“An ambitious account of the legacies of Plessy and Ferguson . . . Undeniably timely and representative of the necessary work ahead.”—Kirkus Reviews

“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.”—School Library Journal

"Nathan’s history of race in the South is detailed, honest, and multifaceted, and Phoebe and Keith’s story is inspiring. Together is an accessible multigenerational story that shows the importance of acknowledging the complicated past when building a stronger future."—Foreword Reviews

Genres: Nonfiction, History

213 pages, Paperback

Published February 9, 2021

About the author

My books cover a wide range of topics, from women's history to dance to allowances to how to make practicing a musical instrument — or doing homework — less of a hassle.

However, all my books have something in common: They introduce you to amazing people whose stories have inspired me and, I hope, will spur you to keep following your dreams, no matter what kinds of obstacles may pop up from time to time that may seem to block your way. These people found ways around the obstacles they encountered. They all have fascinating stories to tell. I'm glad to have had a chance to get to know them so I can share their stories and ideas with you through my books.

With many of the people I write about, I was lucky enough to be able to interview them. I love interviewing people, speaking with them to find out more about what they like to do, how they've handled the different challenges they've faced in their lives, and what advice they have for kids today. I also love reading about people who lived long ago, something I did for COUNT ON US, which tells the story of women who pitched in to defend the nation from the Revolutionary War on. As a kid growing up in Baltimore, my favorite books were biographies and historical fiction. I remember walking down to my neighborhood branch library every week during the summers after fifth, sixth and seventh grades, to check out yet another biography. I also enjoyed seeing plays as a kid, and acting in them too sometimes, which is another great way to see the world from another person’s point of view.

I've learned so much from the people I've written about in my books. I hope their stories — and the advice they have for young people — will help you with challenges you might face. Such people as:

** Astonishing dancers from top ballet and modern dance companies, several of whom didn’t have the stereotypical classical ballet body type, but who still managed to find their way to in the world of dance (you can find out about them in MEET THE DANCERS);
** Outstanding musicians of the New York Philharmonic who, amazingly enough, didn't always like to practice when they were kids and have advice for kids today who may feel that way, too (MEET THE MUSICIANS);
** Jazz trumpeter Wynton Marsalis and other classical and jazz soloists, many of whom took a while as kids to get into the groove of regular practicing until they discovered for themselves the joy and the fun of music-making (THE YOUNG MUSICIAN'S SURVIVAL GUIDE);
** Gutsy female pilots who flew fighter planes for the Army in World War II when that was definitely not something most people thought a woman should do (YANKEE DOODLE GALS & COUNT ON US);
** A courageous young woman who stood up for her rights at a lonely bus stop in North Carolina back in the summer of 1952, doing her part in the face of grave danger to help bring about the end of the Jim Crow era (TAKE A SEAT-MAKE A STAND);
** Some mighty clever kids who found ways to make homework less of a chore and uncovered the secret to getting a raise in their allowance THE KIDS' ALLOWANCE BOOK & SURVIVING HOMEWORK).

Reviews

[Lindsey · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a great read! I learned SO much about the Supreme Court case Plessy v. Ferguson, how it impacted race relations in NOLA and beyond, and how the descendants of both Judge Ferguson and Homer Plessy, who were both born in NOLA on the same year, are working together now to teach their community about the important events in history that shaped Reconstruction, Jim Crow laws, Civil Rights actions, and more. I felt this book explained the cases mentioned as well as the importance of each event as though the reader did not know any of it, rather than presuming there was previous knowledge and understanding of the history, but it was not done in a condescending manner. The cooperation of Keith Plessy and Phoebe Ferguson completely inspirational. THANK YOU to my librarians who placed this new book on the featured shelf near check out. I'm so glad I encountered it!

[Sugarpuss O'Shea · Rating 3 out of 5]

While I felt the latter chapters were more fluff than substance, this was nonetheless an inspiring read. We need more people in this world like Keith & Phoebe, and I'm glad their story was told.

[Andréa]

Note: I accessed a digital review copy of this book through Edelweiss.