Event
Song o' the Day-"Plessy's Dream"
Fee:
Free.Dates & Times
Date:
Time:
Type of Event
Description
New Orleans JAZZ NHP’s Song o’ the Day:
“Plessy’s Dream”
“Separate but equal”. It was on this day, May 18th, in 1896, that the Supreme Court of these United States upheld the Louisiana “Separate Car Act” and decided treating some folks differently than others should be proper! The Plessy v. Ferguson decision stipulated, of course, that determinations of who-gets-what should be “even-handed” and based entirely upon “race”. (You know what a “race” is: a contest to see who can get somewhere first and collect the prize!) The Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy points out, “The ambiguities and confusion associated with determining the boundaries of racial categories have provoked a widespread scholarly consensus that discrete or essentialist races are socially constructed, not biologically real.”
Dr. Michael White’s ethereal start and upbeat progression in this song surely reflect the effort, hope and patience required of all involved in the quest for Human Rights during this period, and, for that matter, ALL of human history!
(For complete references & links visit the JAZZ Park calendar for this date at https://www.nps.gov/jazz/planyourvisit/calendar.htm)
Written by: Dr. Michael White
Produced by: National Park Service
Featuring: Dr. Michael White & Orchestra
Reservation or Registration: No
Image Gallery
Public domain image
NPS photo: artwork by Jonnie B.