Those We Lost — July 21

Honoring those we lost on July 21 — remembered for what they gave, and for what they left behind.

Evelyn Thomas

Born August 22, 1953 — died July 21, 2024

Disco singer, Hi-NRG dance music vocalist, and international club music figure.

Thomas became best known for “High Energy,” a major 1980s dance record that helped define the Hi-NRG sound. Her voice and recordings kept her connected to disco, dance floors, and club music culture across generations.

James E. Ferguson II

Full name: James Elliott Ferguson II

Born October 10, 1942 — died July 21, 2025

Civil rights lawyer, desegregation attorney, legal strategist, and North Carolina justice advocate.

Ferguson was a pioneering civil rights attorney whose work helped shape school desegregation, voting rights, criminal justice, and death penalty reform. He co-founded North Carolina’s first interracial law firm and remained a major legal force for racial justice for decades.