Final answer:
Judge John Howard Ferguson was involved as he was the presiding judge in the segregation case of Plessy v. Ferguson which confirmed the 'separate but equal' doctrine.
Step-by-step explanation:
Judge John Howard Ferguson was named in the case because he was the presiding judge in the original criminal case that eventually led to the landmark Supreme Court decision Plessy v. Ferguson. This 1896 case upheld the constitutionality of racial segregation under the doctrine of "separate but equal." Ferguson's role in the Plessy case was pivotal as he was the judge who ruled against Homer Plessy, who had intentionally violated Louisiana's Separate Car Act, leading to a legal challenge that went to the highest court.