Herman Ferguson, 93, was always known for his signature smile. When he smiled, he made everyone else smile. But this past Saturday, there were more tears than smiles.
Baba Herman passed away Sept. 25, of congestive heart failure. He went peacefully. His memorial service was held in Raleigh, N.C., at Steven Lyons Funeral Home. The former merchant marine and New York City assistant principal called Queens home until he relocated to North Carolina, his birthplace, in 2009.
Saturday, Oct. 4, admirers traveled from all over the nation to attend the service. At the funeral home were the extended family and close friends. Attendees included activists Pam Africa, Zayid Muhammad, Dr. Kamau Kambon, Basiymah Bey, Brother Cimarron, George and Akosua Tait, Dequi Kioni-sadiki and Razakhan Shaheed. More than 100 people packed into the funeral home, but it was less a funeral than a celebration of his life. Many organizations were represented, including the Jericho Movement, the Malcolm X Commemoration Committee, the Republic of New Afrika and the Universal Negro Improvement Association and African Communities League.
Incarcerated author and journalist Mumia Abu-Jamal phoned in his words of condolence and respect for the internationally known former exile in Guyana and prisoner of the U.S. government. Stories were told of his work in the New York public school system, his activism with Malcolm X, his work to free political prisoners, his dedication to his family and his community and his book, “An Unlikely Warrior” (http://anunlikelywarrior.com).
Iyaluua Ferguson told the AmNews that her husband “would have been happy with the service. It was a celebration.” Online she said, “How do I say what is in my heart? How do I thank you and explain the comfort your kind words, your expressions of love and comradeship have given me at this time of great loss. How do I say thank you to those who traveled hundreds of miles to memorialize Herman here in North Carolina. I have been wrapped in the warmth of your love for me and Herman. I am grateful for your tales of the impact Herman has had on your lives. I am grateful for the knowledge that Herman’s legacy will live on—that Herman will always live on. And I can see, hear and feel Herman shouting FREE THE LAND! That’s what he wants. That’s what we must do!”
Iyaluua Ferguson added, “In memory of Herman, I ask everyone, when you have time, to go to the website www.stevenlyonsfuneralhome.com. There you will see a thumbnail of Herman. Click on it; it will take you to his page. You can read his obit. Click on the tab, ‘Memory Wall.’ There you can light a candle for Herman and/or leave words of remembrance. Finally, click on photos/videos. This page holds photos that I and two friends have posted. You can add a photo if you wish. The memorial DVD is almost 10 minutes long, but it is beautiful. When you click on it, it takes a while to come up, but it portrays much of Herman’s life and his family. Bashir and Smitty are on the DVD. In the photos, you will see Imari and Yuri.”
The Malcolm X Commemoration Committee told the Amsterdam News that Baba Ferguson will also be memorialized in New York at a later date.
