Ferguson, a native of New Orleans, attended Art Center College of Design in 1979-1982. After working in NYC as an advertising photographer for seventeen years, Phoebe returned to school to study documentary film in 1999. While at NYU, she returned to New Orleans to make “Member of the Club,” a feature documentary about the rise of New Orleans; black middle class society, which opened at the New Orleans Film Festival in 2008.

In 2003, Phoebe learned that she is the great, great granddaughter of the judge in the landmark civil rights case, Plessy v. Ferguson. After meeting Keith Plessy in 2004, descendant of Homer Plessy , she realized that they shared not only this infamous legacy but a passion for history, art and social justice, as well. Phoebe moved back to New Orleans permanently in 2006 and started the Plessy and Ferguson Foundation in 2009 along with Keith Plessy. The mission of he organization is to teach the history of the case and the importance of organizing against racial oppression, while erecting historical plaques that recognize the contributions of the black community throughout New Orleans.

Phoebe now divides her time between her work at the Foundation and her documentary work through her media company, Bayou and Me Media in New Orleans. Phoebe has two adult children Stuart and Noël Anderson. Noël currently lives in New Orleans and teaches at Loyola University.