from Jefferson Ellison:

James E. Ferguson passed away in July, and this Saturday our community will gather to honor his extraordinary life and legacy.

The memorial service will be held on Saturday, October 4, at 2:00 P.M. at St. James AME Church (44 Hildebrand St, Asheville, NC), his family’s home church. Hosted by the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Association of Asheville & Buncombe County, the service will celebrate Mr. Ferguson’s remarkable contributions to Asheville, and the nation.

Mr. Ferguson was a son of Asheville, a Stephens-Lee High School graduate, and a trailblazing Civil Rights attorney. His work reshaped education, challenged systemic injustice, and gave us a pathway for how to give back.

In times like these, many of us wonder how we can stand on the shoulders of giants. I don’t have the full answer, but I believe we come closer to finding it by honoring those who made our lives, our opportunities, and our communities possible.

I hope you’ll join the community in celebrating Mr. Ferguson’s life this Saturday, or consider making a contribution to the James Ferguson Leadership Scholarship Fund, created to inspire and support the next generation of leaders. Please share this with your networks, and if you can do nothing else, I ask that you continue to believe in your own ability to make the world a better place. It’s the most important legacy we can carry.

— JDE