Randall Carter Ferguson Sr. was born on February 17, 1919, in Hope, Hempstead County, Arkansas. He moved to Camden, Ouachita County, Arkansas, with his brother while still in high school.
Ferguson spent several years in the Civilian Conservation Corps before serving in the Fifth Army 92nd Division in World War II. After leaving the military, he operated a family restaurant in Camden where he later opened Ferguson's Lounge. This establishment attracted a number of prominent musicians, including Count Basie, B.B. King, and Cab Calloway.
Ferguson was the coroner of Ouachita County for two years. He also worked in security for several years and was selected to be the first black deputy sheriff in Ouachita County.
Ferguson and his wife, Lizzie B. Howard Ferguson, raised four sons and one daughter.
#1: Composite image of early photo of Randall Ferguson Sr. and still frame from Pryor Center video interview
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#2: Randall Ferguson Sr.'s father, Henry Ferguson
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#3: Randall Ferguson Sr.'s father, Henry Ferguson
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#4: Randall Ferguson Sr.'s mother, Lula Ferguson, and her sister, Annie Jacobs, 1933
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#5: Randall Ferguson Sr. in CCC camp, ca. 1938
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#6: Randall Ferguson Sr.; Fort McClellan, Alabama, 1942
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#7: Thomas Reynolds and Randall Ferguson Sr., 1942
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#8: Randall Ferguson Sr. returning to the US with his dog, 1945
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#9: Randall Ferguson Sr.'s sister, Sophie Ferguson
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#10: Randall Ferguson Sr. with his sister, Sophie, and brother, Elijah, outside Ferguson's Lounge, ca. 1946
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#11: From the left: Joanne Lindsey; Ashley Cain; Gladys Lindsey; Randall Ferguson Sr.'s mother, Lula Ferguson; and Annie Jacobs in the dance hall at Ferguson's Lounge, ca. 1946
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#12: Randall Ferguson Sr. at Ferguson's Lounge, 1946
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#13: Randall Ferguson Sr.'s mother, Lula Ferguson, 1949
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#14: Randall Sr. and Lizzie Ferguson's sons, Randall Jr. and James, 1955
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#15: Randall Sr. and Lizzie Ferguson's sons: James, Randall Jr., and Robert; Camden, Arkansas, 1958
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#16: Randall Sr. and Lizzie Ferguson's daughter, Jeanette, 15 months old, ca. 1959
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#17: Randall Sr. and Lizzie Ferguson's children: James, Randall Jr., Robert, John, and Jeanette, ca. 1962
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#18: Randall Ferguson Sr. working as a security supervisor at Camden Manufacturing for Wells Fargo, summer 1962
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#19: Randall Ferguson Sr.'s mother, Lula Ferguson, and her sister, Annie Jacobs, at the Chicago Zoo, 1963
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#20: Sheriff Jerry McMahen (far left), Randall Ferguson Sr. (far right), and Ouachita County Sheriff's Office employees on the day Randall Ferguson Sr. was sworn in as deputy sheriff
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#21: Randall Ferguson Sr., deputy sheriff, ca. 1971
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#22: Leslie Nussey and Randall Ferguson Sr. at the Ouachita County Courthouse, ca. 1971
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#23: Randall Ferguson Sr. campaigning for Sheriff Jerry McMahen, ca. 1971
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#24: Deputy Sheriff Randall Ferguson Sr. with Garland Hegwood of Budweiser; Budweiser hired a bus to take people to Little Rock for the Grambling State-University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff football game and hired Randall Sr. to accompany them
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#25: Randall Ferguson Sr. (2nd from left) and his brothers, Elijah, Henry, and Harold
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#26: Randall Ferguson Sr. with his son, John, in front of the deputy sheriff's car, June 1972
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#27: Three generations of Fergusons: Randall Jr.; Randall Jr.'s son, Trey; and Randall Sr.; Lincoln Drive residence, Camden, Arkansas, ca. 1972
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#28: Lizzie and Randall Ferguson Sr. at the wedding of their son, Robert, 1974
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#29: Randall Ferguson Sr. in front of his house on Lincoln Drive; Camden, Arkansas, mid-1980s
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#30: Lizzie and Randall Ferguson Sr.
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#31: Randall Ferguson Sr.'s mother, Lula Ferguson
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#32: The Ferguson family at Randall Ferguson Sr.'s 70th birthday party: James, Randall Sr., Jeanette, Randall Jr., Lizzie, Robert, and John, 1989
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#33: Lizzie Ferguson and her sons: (back row) Robert, Randall Jr.; (front row) James, Lizzie, John, December 1995
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#34: Lizzie and Randall Ferguson Sr., 1995
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#35: Still frame from Pryor Center video interview with Randall Ferguson Sr.; Camden, Arkansas, 2009
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#36: Still frame from Pryor Center video interview with Randall Ferguson Sr.; Camden, Arkansas, 2009
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
