Separate: the story of Plessy v. Ferguson, and America's journey from slavery to segregation

Taking their seats: Massachusetts, 1838-1843

Harlan of Kentucky: 1853-1857

Brown of New England: 1856-1857

Tourgee of Ohio: 1858-1860

The free people of color: New 0rleans, 1860

"The Harlan name": Kentucky, 1858-1862

"A war of which no man can see the end": Brown in Detroit, 1860-1864

"For this I am willing to die": Tourgee on the march, 1861-1863

"Claim your rights": New Orleans and Washington, 1863-1864

Choosing sides: Harlan in Kentucky, 1865-1871

"A taste for judicial life": Brown in Detroit, 1866-1872

Tourgee goes South: North Carolina, 1865-1870

Equal but separate: New Orleans and the north, 1867-1871

"Is not Harlan the man?": Kentucky and Washington, 1875-1878

"Uncongenial strifes": Brown and Tourgee, 1875-1879

Fool's errand: north and south, 1880-1883

The color line sharpens: 1883-1888

"The Negro question": Mayville, Washington, and New Orleans, 1889-1890

"On behalf of 7,999,999 of my race": New Orleans, Mayville, Detroit, and Washington, 1890-1891

Arrest: Mayville and New Orleans, 1892/-893

"You are fighting a great battle": Washington, Mayville, and New Orleans, 1893-1895

In the nature of things: March, April, May 1896

Epilogue.