James E. Ferguson II, a prominent civil rights lawyer who dedicated his career to defending busing policies and advancing school desegregation, has died at 82. His work significantly impacted the civil rights movement in North Carolina, where he was known for representing Black defendants and challenging systemic injustices.
Ferguson’s legal career was defined by his role in landmark school desegregation cases before the U.S. Supreme Court, which helped shape the legal landscape of education in the United States. He also played a critical role in overturning wrongful convictions of Black defendants in North Carolina, ensuring justice was served for those unfairly accused.
In 2000, Ferguson stood before the Mecklenburg County Courthouse in Charlotte, N.C., where he emphasized the importance of his work as the legal arm of the civil rights movement. He remarked, “We weren’t practicing law in the abstract. We were the legal arm of the civil rights movement in North Carolina.” His dedication to justice and equality left a lasting legacy in the fight for civil rights and racial equality.