Ferguson, Clarence Clyde, 1924-1983

On November 4, 1924, Clarence Clyde Ferguson was born to Clarence Clyde and Georgeva (Owens) Ferguson. From 1942-1946, he served in the United States Army and was decorated with a Bronze Star.

In 1948, he earned an A.B. from Ohio State University and in 1951 earned an LL.B. from Harvard University. In 1951 he also earned admission to the Bar of Massachusetts.

From 1951- 1952, Ferguson was a Teaching Fellow at Harvard Law School and Harvard College. Additionally, he was a U.S. representative to the 1952 UNESCO Meeting in Havana, Cuba and earned a D.I.L. from the Academia Interamericana de Derecho, also in Havana.

From 1952-1954, he served as Counsel to the Firm of Balitmore, Paulson and Canudo and in 1953 became admitted to the Bar of New York.

On February 14, 1954, he married Dolores Zimmerman, with whom he had three girls: Claire Oberone Garcia, Hope Elizabeth, and Eve Maria.

In 1954, he also served as a Special Legal Advisor to the U.S Mission to the United Nations and began working until 1955 as an Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Southern District, New York.

From 1955-1962, he was a Professor of Law at Rutgers University and in 1956 was named Outstanding Young Man in New Jersey by New Jersey Junior Chamber of Commerce. From 1961-1963 he served as General Counsel to the United States Commission on Civil Rights. At that point, he became Dean of Howard University Law School for 6 years until 1969. Within that period, he additionally served as an expert to United Nations Subcommittee on Race Discrimination in 1964; as Principal Drafter of UNESCO Statement on Race in 1967; and in 1969 was named Distinguished Professor of Law at Rutgers University.

From 1969-1975, he worked internationally, serving as Special Coordinator of Relief to civilian victims of the Nigerian Civil War from 1969-1970; as United States Ambassador to Uganda from 1970-1972; as the Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs from 1972-1973 ; as an accorded personal rank of Ambassador in 1973 ; and as U.S. Representative to the Economic and Social Council of the United Nations from 1973-1975.

He then returned to Harvard Law School as a Visiting Professor of Law, Harvard Law School from 1975-1977; as a Professor of Law from 1977-1980; and as the Henry L. Stimson Professor of Law, Harvard Law School from 1980-1983. Outside of teaching, he was also President of the American Society of International Law from 1978-1983.

He died on December 21, 1983 in Boston, Massachusetts.