The Charlotte community is coming together to remember one James Ferguson II, a bastion of civil rights legal advocacy, who passed away earlier this week at the age of 82 after a battle with COVID-19 and other illnesses, his contribution to civil rights and his legacy as a prominent attorney has left an enduring mark on the community and beyond, as WCNC reports.
In his lifetime, Ferguson, a Columbia Law School graduate, advocated tirelessly for civil rights, co-founding the first integrated law firm within North Carolina and emerged as a pivotal figure in challenging and changing discriminatory practices, especially drawing national attention in the late '60s with the desegregation of Charlotte schools through the historic Swann v. Charlotte-Mecklenburg School Board case, which subsequently led to the Supreme Court upholding a busing plan to integrate schools in 1971 and despite his passing, his work remains a foundational underpinning of current civil rights law framework, as remembered by the Charlotte-Mecklenburg School Board in a statement highlighting the "great purpose" of his life, brought to light by WCCB Charlotte.
The Black Political Caucus of Charlotte-Mecklenburg also recognised Ferguson's integral role stating, "His contributions have left an indelible mark on the legal profession, our local institutions, and the broader movement for Black liberation," as per WCNC coverage.
Remembered too is Ferguson's international reach, having co-founded South Africa's first Trial Advocacy Program offering instruction to Black and white lawyers even under the yoke of apartheid and he educated in trial advocacy across the United States and in England; he was a steadfast mentor and guide to many, his influence touching lives far beyond his immediate community and as noted by Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools Chair Stephanie Sneed in her admiration of Ferguson's "generational impact," adding that he was a "brilliant legal mind" and a "force for justice," and this sentiment was reflected in the remarks of U.S. Rep. Alma Adams who divulged that "He's always been in the history books," as she began her political career, told The Charlotte Observer.
