https://digital.buffalolib.org/files/original/eb93e550767b6794f07eeebfb3458594.jpg fbb6b472623bbd4aef146051de84e29c https://digital.buffalolib.org/files/original/bd1b56a655f5c8b83c6712caafaf9bf9.mp4 b8020194c327a336fe611c40f24a4240 https://digital.buffalolib.org/files/original/7d8264e05a29e1196b24bb98e53e30fc.vtt e90f8b2413e8ef405af9cc7e02b4694b Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource English Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Say Their Names: Honor Their Legacies Description An account of the resource This photographic and oral history project by the Uncrowned Queens Institute is a response to the urgency of preserving the first-person narratives of local history-makers, who represent a group whose experiences and insights are in danger of being lost. Over two years (2023-2024), oral histories were recorded with 24 significant history-makers in our community. The resulting exhibit Say Their Names, in collaboration with photographer Yves-Richard Blanc, has been displayed at the Buffalo History Museum and Buffalo & Erie County Public Library. The Buffalo Public School District has also developed social studies curricula using the participants' oral history videos and biographies. www.uncrownedcommunitybuilders.com Moving Image A series of visual representations imparting an impression of motion when shown in succession. Examples include animations, movies, television programs, videos, zoetropes, or visual output from a simulation. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context oh-ucb-014 Title A name given to the resource Mr. Ronal R. Bassham Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Uncrowned Queens Institute for Research & Education on Women, Inc. Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 2023 Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Buffalo & Erie County Public Library (publisher of digital) Type The nature or genre of the resource Moving Image Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource video/mp4 Language A language of the resource eng Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Blanc Photographie (videographer) Blanc, Yves-Richard Is Part Of A related resource in which the described resource is physically or logically included. Say Their Names: Honor Their Legacies Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource ©2024 Uncrowned Queens Institute Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived Uncrowned Community Builders Description An account of the resource Ronal Bassham was born in Erie, Pennsylvania. He is the eldest of the six children of Thaddeus and Peggy Bassham. The Bassham family moved to Buffalo, New York when Ron was a child. He attended Buffalo Public Schools. In 1953, he left Emerson High School at the age of seventeen to enlist in the United States Air Force. Ron served in Vietnam from 1971 to 1972. For his outstanding bravery and service at Quang Tri, he was awarded The Bronze Star Medal and the U.S. Vietnam Service Medal. He retired in 1975 after twenty-two years of honorable service to his country. During this tour of duty, he had the opportunity to serve on many continents including, but not limited to, Asia, Europe, South America, and Australia. After his retirement from the Air force, Ron was sure that he had more to give to the private and public sectors. He began a new career with Harrison Radiator in 1977 and in that same year helped to create the first successful Veterans committee in the history of the United Auto Workers union. Ron wanted to step away to provide opportunities for younger workers and retired from Harrison Radiator in 1995. You would think that all of the above was enough for any one person, but no, Ron has continued to be a community and union activist and during the 1990s helped to write the Living Wage Law for the City of Buffalo. This law has impacted the lives of thousands of citizens living and working in the City of Buffalo. Ron was busy in the 1990s and was instrumental with the Vietnam Veterans' Chapter 681, in opening the first Residential Post Traumatic Stress Clinic in Western New York. In October 2001, in recognition of his work with the United Auto Workers, Ron was elected to the United Auto Workers Hall of fame. In May of 2002, Ron had a large leadership role in the "Day of Honoring Event" that honored the minority service people of World War II. At last, these veterans received their long overdue decorations. In 2006, Ron was appointed by the federal government to be the Veterans Administration Volunteer Services Representative for Western New York. Ron is a member of at least thirty-five community groups. One of his favorites is the Niagara Military Affairs Council (NMAC). In 2005, the Niagara Falls Air Force Base was placed on the Department of Defense closing list. Ron and the NMAC were instrumental in saving this base along with 1000 jobs impacting the Western New York economy. In 2006, Ron's efforts to support veterans resulted in the Women's Residential Clinic, in Batavia, New York, providing support for female veterans suffering from PTSD. Plans are currently underway to build a larger clinic which was scheduled to have a ground-breaking in 2011 and open in 2012. He has also worked to establish the "Women's" Military Support Network of Western New York to assist women veterans at the Batavia and Buffalo Veterans Hospitals. In September 2008, Ron's Veteran Affairs Group of Buffalo's Black Chamber successfully introduced into legislation, the Veteran's Cold War Act. This law allows all honorably discharged veterans, who served between September 2, 1945, and December 26, 1991, to receive property tax reductions. They served this country and should not be forced to leave their homes. This act has also been extended to Erie County Veterans, thanks to Ron's advocacy. In 2009, Ron was instrumental in the opening of a veteran's section in Elmlawn Cemetery in Tonawanda, New York. The following year, his work resulted in the reconstruction of "The Veterans Monument" at Northland and Grider Streets in Buffalo. He has also advocated bringing the National Veterans Cemetery to Buffalo and the Western New York area by 2012. The closest federal veteran's cemetery at this time is located in Bath, New York, more than one hundred miles away. In 2017, Ron had the opportunity to address the historic disparate treatment of African American servicemen and women. He became a founding member of a group whose goal was to create an extraordinary monument to honor these men and women. When asked how he got involved in the monument project, Bassham wishes he could look back fondly on his 22-year Air Force career as a ground crewman. He said, "I'm proud of my service, but I am not proud of the way I was treated. Ronal and his wife Julia reside in Niagara Falls, New York. Ron is a father of eight children and numerous grandchildren. Ron is a living example of "the apple not falling far from the tree". He is the father of a 2000 Black Achiever in Industry Honoree and Uncrowned Queen, Joyce Wilson Nixon, NICYO Executive Director/CEO and proud sponsor of her father for the 1490 Community Organization's Black Achiever in Industry Honoree for 2008. Subject The topic of the resource African Americans--New York (State)--Buffalo African American veterans--Interviews.