James Ferguson II, a Charlotte civil rights lawyer whose landmark cases desegregated schools nationwide died July 21, 2025 at 82. Ferguson, an Asheville native, was also a co-founder of North Carolina’s first interracial law firm. By Julia Coin and Maia Nehme

James Ferguson II, a prominent civil rights lawyer from Charlotte known for his role in desegregating schools nationwide, has passed away at the age of 82.

Ferguson and Julius Chambers represented the Swann family in a landmark lawsuit against the Charlotte-Mecklenburg School Board. The case led school districts nationwide to begin busing students to integrate schools.