Longtime Michigan State trustee Joel Ferguson lauded for love of community, strong friendships
EAST LANSING — Longtime Lansing resident, developer and former Michigan State University trustee and board chair Joel Ferguson, who died Saturday morning, was remembered by family and friends for his passion, hard work and love of community.
“Only fitting that it be on the same morning of the MSU Homecoming, which he dedicated so many years to. He was a true Spartan, through and through,” his family said in a statement. “Joel will be remembered for his kind heart, his charismatic smile, his natural-born ability to redefine business hustle, and his lifelong purpose to create positive change, in which he did. Joel’s impact on the state of Michigan and beyond will be felt for many generations to come.
“Joel was no stranger to hard work and knowing what it took to work his way up. A perfect example is when he started working as a caddy at the Country Club of Lansing and later became president of the Club,” they said.
Ferguson, 85, a Democrat, was first elected to the university board in 1986. In August 2020, he decided not to run for another term, having been re-elected in 1996, 2004 and 2012. His fellow trustees elected him board chair five times, from 1992 to 2015.
He was born in Lansing in November 1938, graduated from Sexton High School in 1956 and served in the Marine Corps from 1957 to 1959, before enrolling at MSU. He graduated in 1965 with a elementary education degree and in 1967 he became the first Black person elected to the Lansing City Council.
“Joel Ferguson’s life was a testament to what it means to serve one’s community with passion, integrity, and vision,” his family said. “He leaves behind a legacy of kindness, generosity and leadership that will continue to inspire those who knew him. He will be deeply missed but never forgotten.”
Friendships, love of community recalled in wake of death
As news of Ferguson’s death became public, those who knew and worked with him shared their recollections of the Lansing native.
MSU Trustee Brianna Scott served with Ferguson, starting after she was first elected in 2018. She said they formed a friendship the first time they met.
“If he saw something in you, he was going to push you to be the best you could be,” Scott said. “He did that with me. He mentored me and there was nothing I could give him in return … He didn’t have to do that. I just loved him. He was like a grandfather to me.”
She said Ferguson was a voice for the marginalized and minority populations on campus, and helped her learn how to maneuver in that same space. She said he was humble, and the kind of person who didn’t need to throw their weight around for others to listen.
“He always wanted to bring others with him,” she said. “He wasn’t threatened by other people.”
Former Michigan State University trustee Joel Ferguson has died, MSU confirmed Saturday. He was 85.
In a statement, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer called Ferguson “a longtime family friend” who made Michigan a better place.
“Today, we mourn the loss of Joel Ferguson. A good man, Lansing legend, and proud Spartan. He was a friend to so many over his decades of service,” she said. “He built homes, stewarded his beloved alma mater MSU on the board of trustees, and served his nation in uniform as a United States Marine. Joel not only invested in his community, but he embodied its core values.”
Ferguson was “a true trailblazer and community hero” for the city, Lansing Mayor Andy Schor said in a statement.
“He was a giant in Lansing, being the first African American to serve on our Lansing City Council, doing so much for our community as a local developer,” Schor said. “But he was so much more. He was a passionate Democrat and served on the Democratic National Committee and was an adviser to several U.S. presidents. Joel was the definition of a Spartan and fiercely loyal to all that is Michigan State University.
“His commitment to public service and community was unparalleled, leaving an indelible mark on our city and state. My thoughts are with the entire Ferguson family today,” he added.
MSU Trustee Dianne Byrum served on the board with Ferguson for more than a decade.
“Joel was a legend at Michigan State,” she said, pointing to the university’s growth during Ferguson’s decades on the board.
That time included the start of the university’s medical school presence in Grand Rapids, construction of the Facility For Rare Isotope Beams and successful tournament runs for the school’s basketball and football programs.
The last development project Ferguson led, the Red Cedar development, transformed a long underused stretch of Michigan Avenue between Lansing and East Lansing where the Red Cedar Golf Course once was.
“He’s been a fixture of Lansing for a long, long time,” Byrum said. “He invested in Old Town before it was popular. He built a development there. His offices were there. He’s clearly had an impact on the community for decades and decades.”
Lansing native became an icon in civil rights, business
After graduating from MSU, Ferguson taught in the Lansing School District and the Michigan Catholic Conference before launching a career in real estate development.
He co-founded Lansing television station WFSL-TV (Channel 47) and then founded WLAJ-TV (Channel 53). He had been active in other roles in the area, including Lansing City Council.
Not only was Ferguson was the first Black person elected to the Lansing City Council, serving from 1967 to 1975, he was also the first Black to serve on the Ingham County Board of Supervisors.
He co-founded F&S Development in 1978 and co-founded Ferguson Development with his son, Dave, in 1997.
He was a prominent developer in the Lansing and Detroit area for decades.
Ferguson and his partner Frank Kass planned what was then a $242 million redevelopment of the former Red Cedar Golf Course. The development, now essentially complete, includes student housing, apartments, a dual-brand hotel, a senior living and memory care facility, restaurants, a roughly 40,000-square-foot retail/commercial space, a public park, and a connection to the Lansing River Trail.
In 1984, Ferguson served as the Rev. Jesse Jackson’s Michigan campaign manager when the civil rights leader ran for president as a Democrat.
In 2007, Ferguson was honored with the Freedom and Justice Award from the Detroit chapter of the NAACP. The award recognizes someone who goes above and beyond their duties to help those in their community, according to then-chapter President the Rev. Wendell Anthony.
In addition to his many business and political endeavors, Ferguson was a sports enthusiast. He was inducted into the Greater Lansing Area Sports Hall of Fame in 2013. He served as director of the Greater Lansing Urban League OJT program.
This story will be updated.
Contact reporter Matt Mencarini at [email protected]. Follow him on X, formerly known as Twitter, @MattMencarini.
This article originally appeared on Lansing State Journal: Former Michigan State board chair Joel Ferguson has died at age 85
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