Speakers included the Honorable Al Whitesides, the Honorable Antoinette Mosley, and Oralene Graves Simmons.
A memorial service celebrating the life and legacy of Attorney James E. Ferguson II was held on Saturday, October 4, 2025, at St. James AME Church in Asheville, NC.
Hosted by the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Association of Asheville and Buncombe County, the service recognized Ferguson’s lifelong commitment to civil rights, justice, and equality.
A native of Asheville, Ferguson rose to prominence as a student at Stephens-Lee High School, where he founded and led the Asheville Student Committee on Racial Equality (ASCORE). Under his leadership, ASCORE helped desegregate many of the city’s institutions, including Pack Library, restaurants, theaters, and other public spaces…