A graduate of Harvard Law School, Dr. Ferguson worked as the US ambassador-at-large and special coordinator of relief for civilians during the Nigeria-Biafra War. He negotiated the “Protocol on Relief to Nigerian Civilian Victims” of the conflict and was lauded by many nations for his service.
During Nixon’s announcement of Ferguson’s appointment, he explained that Ferguson was in charge of ensuring the responsible and effective use of US aid to “both sides of the battle-line.” However Nixon was quick to remind the public that Ferguson would not be negotiating any issues other than those having to do with humanitarian assistance and disaster relief.
Throughout his career in both the public and private sectors, Ferguson served as US Representative to the United Nations Economic and Social Council, United States Ambassador to Uganda, Professor of Law at Rutgers University, Dean of the Howard University Law School, and Professor of Law at Harvard University, among other jobs and appointments.
SEE ALso:
Kissinger, Henry. Memorandum From the President’s Assistant for National Security Affairs (Kissinger) to President Nixon, Washington. Archived at 2001-2009.State.gov.
Levenson, Eric. “Was Nixon a Humanitarian?: Declassified Material from the Nigeria-Biafra War.” Levenson blog, April 19, 2013.
McNeil, Brian. “Frontiers of Need: Humanitarianism and American Involvement in the Nigerian Civil War, 1967-70.” PhD Dissertation, University of Texas-Austin, 2014.
Mitchell, Clarence. “In Memoriam: C. Clyde Ferguson, Jr.” Harvard Law Review 97:6 (1984):1253-1254.