Civil rights lawyer James E. Ferguson II, known for his role in school integration, has passed away at the age of 82.

Ferguson explains in Smith's book that their legal work was directly linked to the civil rights movement in North Carolina, not just theoretical.

August 30th 2025.

Civil rights lawyer James E. Ferguson II, known for his role in school integration, has passed away at the age of 82.
James E. Ferguson II was a remarkable civil rights lawyer who dedicated his life to fighting for racial justice. He passed away at the age of 82 on July 21 in Charlotte, N.C. due to complications of Covid-19 and pneumonia. According to his son, James Ferguson III, his father had spent decades challenging school segregation, reversing wrongful convictions, and advocating for prisoners facing execution.

Even before obtaining his law degree, Ferguson was already involved in the civil rights movement. He tirelessly organized his classmates in the Jim Crow South to integrate public spaces such as libraries and lunch counters. After graduating from Columbia Law School in 1967, where he was one of the few Black students in a class of about 300, he joined forces with Julius Chambers and Adam Stein to establish the first racially integrated law firm in Charlotte, as reported by The New York Times.

Ferguson saw his work as more than just practicing law. In Robert Samuel Smith's book Race, Labor & Civil Rights, he stated, "We weren't practicing law in the abstract. We were the legal arm of the civil rights movement in North Carolina." One of his significant achievements was in 1971 when he played a crucial role in the U.S. Supreme Court's decision to uphold busing as a tool for desegregating public schools in Swann v. Charlotte-Mecklenburg Board of Education. This unanimous ruling became a model for school desegregation efforts nationwide. However, during the case, his law office was set on fire in an act of arson. Fortunately, there were no injuries, and no arrests were made. But Ferguson never forgot the 3 a.m. phone call that informed him of the blaze.

Apart from fighting for school desegregation, Ferguson also worked on landmark cases involving wrongful convictions. He played a significant role in obtaining pardons for the Wilmington 10, who had spent almost ten years in prison. He also represented the Charlotte Three, whose lengthy sentences were later commuted. In 2004, he worked closely with the Innocence Project to introduce DNA evidence and new testimony that led to the exoneration of Darryl Hunt, who had served 19 years in prison for a crime he did not commit. During the trial, Ferguson told the all-white jury, "If you do justice to Darryl Hunt, you have done justice to the state, to the prosecution, to your country and yourselves."

In addition to his work in the courtroom, Ferguson also trained Black lawyers in apartheid-era South Africa, lectured at Harvard Law School, served as general counsel for the ACLU, and was the leader of the North Carolina Academy of Trial Lawyers. His law partner, Sonya Pfeiffer, described him as enduring abuse and threats but always making everyone feel seen and heard. She said, "That is the civil rights movement. What he did for schools across the country was extraordinary."

Ferguson's legacy extends beyond his work in the legal field. He is survived by his three children, a brother, four grandchildren, and two great-grandchildren. His wife, Barbara, sadly passed away in 2022. In a 2016 interview with The Charlotte Post, Ferguson shared his motivation for his life's work, saying, "I just want to feel that I've done all I can do to bring about equality - for everybody. That's what life is about - trying to create the society we think we want."

The passing of James E. Ferguson II is a significant loss for the civil rights community. His contributions and accomplishments will be remembered and continue to inspire future generations in the fight for justice and equality.

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