African Americans--New York (State)--Buffalo]]> Education--New York (State)--Buffalo.]]> Great Migration, ca. 1914-ca. 1970]]> African American veterans--Interviews.]]> He was shocked that racism also existed in Buffalo, but he remained there to assist his uncle in caring for his ailing Aunt. He graduated from Lafayette High School in Buffalo, then earned a B.S. in Criminal Justice from Buffalo State College and an M.A. in American Studies from the University of Buffalo. In 2002, Rev. Pierce was licensed and ordained as a Minister of the Gospel.

Rev. Pierce was an exemplary and devoted leader in the U.S. Army for 18 ½ years. He has served in the Regular Army, Active Reserve Component, and National Guard. Rev. Pierce was a member of the Military Police Corps and was honorably discharged as a Sergeant First Class E7. He continues to serve in the American Legion Jesse Clipper Post No. 430, where he was Post Commander from 2013-2014-2021-2022. During Army Basic at Fort Hood, Texas, Pierce's fellow trainee was Elvis Presley. His first overseas assignment was in Gelnhausen, Germany. His Company Commander was 1st Lt. Colin Powell, the future Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

Pierce is the founder and first Executive Director of the B.U.I.L.D. Halfway House. As President of the Pilgrim Baptist Church Housing Corporation, he was instrumental in constructing Pilgrim Village, an eighty-unit low-income housing development located north of the Medical Corridor between Michigan Avenue and Ellicott Street.

In 1970, Reverend Pierce relocated to Cheektowaga, New York. In 1971, Rev. Pierce was alerted by his family that something was afire on his front lawn. Rev. Pierce observed that a cross was burning. He instructed his family to remain inside while he armed himself with a pistol and exited his house through the garage. Three men were standing in front of the cross. He ordered them to extinguish the burning cross and leave his property immediately or be shot. They chose the former.

In 1974, he was arrested along with seven members of the B.U.I.L.D. Organization for demonstrating against police brutality in Buffalo. In 1977, he was arrested in Cheektowaga for demonstrating against employment discrimination. His efforts in the struggle for racial justice in Cheektowaga resulted in two misdemeanor convictions, both of which he refers to as his "badges of honor." Also, in 1977, his home had to be protected by the F.B.I. for a year due to threats received by his entire family. Upon investigation, the federal government determined that the Town of Cheektowaga was guilty of employment discrimination, and Cheektowaga was ordered to reform its hiring practices. This paved the way for hiring the first African American in Cheektowaga.

He was a Plant Security Officer at the Bethlehem Steel Plant in Lackawanna, where he served as President of Guards Local 2332, AFL-CIO. Rev. Pierce retired in 1997 as Deputy Superintendent of the Erie County Correctional Facility in Alden, New York. He served as Commissioner of The Erie County Conditional Release Commission. Rev. Pierce also served as Chairperson of The Erie County Community Advisory Board.

Memberships:
American Correctional Association
American Academy for Professional Law Enforcement
Lambda Alpha Epsilon (Professional Criminal Justice Fraternity)
Buffalo State Alumni Association
University of Buffalo Alumni Association
Saint John Lodge, Free and Accepted Mason
United States Coast Guard Auxiliary, Flotilla 3-3
Disabled American Veterans, Post No. 150
American Legion Jesse Clipper Post No. 430
Buffalo Genealogical Society of the African Diaspora

He has received several Outstanding Service Awards from the community: Award of Excellence from Group Ministries, Inc.; Two Black Achievers Awards, Martin Luther King. Jr. Award; Labor Unionist of the year; Boy Scout Leader of the Year; Buffalo Branch, N.A.A.C.P., Medgar Evers Civil Rights Award, Southern Christian Leadership Outstanding Service to The Community and American Legion Jesse Clipper Post 430, Legionnaire of the Year Award.

Rev. Pierce gives God the Glory for all of his accomplishments. He has been married sixty-four years to his beautiful wife Sharon, his rock. She has walked beside him and encouraged his many pursuits. He is the proud father of four children: Darwin, Eugene Jr., and Denothras. His hobbies include photography and fishing.]]> Uncrowned Queens Institute for Research & Education on Women, Inc.]]> Blanc, Yves-Richard]]> eng]]> African Americans--New York (State)--Buffalo]]> African American veterans--Interviews.]]>
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.]]> Uncrowned Queens Institute for Research & Education on Women, Inc.]]> Blanc Photographie (videographer)]]> Blanc, Yves-Richard]]> eng]]>