Uncrowned Queens Institute for Research & Education on Women, Inc.]]> Blanc Photographie (videographer)]]> 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]]> Shakespeare, William, 1564-1616--Bibliography--Folios. 1623.]]> Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories & Tragedies, published seven years after the bard's death, compiles 36 plays written by William Shakespeare. Named the "First Folio" by scholars, it is the first collection of Shakespeare's work printed, and contained 18 previously unpublished works--The Tempest, Macbeth, and Twelfth Night among them. 

Assembled by John Heminges and Henry Condell, and published by Edward Blount and William and Isaac Jaggard, the First Folio was presented by the publishers as the first authentic reproduction of Shakespeare's plays (some of which had been previously printed under dubious circumstances). Additionally, the Martin Droeshout-produced portrait in the Folio would be considered one of the few reliable images of Shakespeare, as it was approved by those who worked with him during his life. 

In 1919, NYC book dealer Gabriel Wells purchased a copy of the First Folio on behalf of Colonel Charles Clifton, president of the Pierce Arrow Company.  The copy, though imperfect, was described in the seller’s catalog as “probably” belonging to Samuel Gilburne, one of the actor’s in Shakespeare’s company.  The basis for this claim is rather flimsy, Gilburne’s name is written next to where his name is printed in the list of “Principall Actors”.  The original catalog price was $3,000.00.  Henry Clay Folger (Folger Library in DC) ordered the copy only to discover it had already been sold.  Folger offered to pay the buyer $6,000.00; Clifton refused indicating that he wanted to own a First Folio.  Eventually Folger and Clifton arranged a swap, whereby Folger got the purported Gilburne copy and Clifton received a more-perfect copy. Folger paid Clifton $6500 for the Gilburne copy and Clifton purchased a more complete, finer copy, which sold at auction for $8,800.00.  In 1926, Colonel Clifton donated this copy of the First Folio, along with the Second, Third, Fourth Folios, and the Poems to the Grosvenor Library. In 1953, the Grosvenor Library was incorporated into the newly-formed Buffalo & Erie County Public Library, and in 1964 the collection would be relocated to the newly-constructed Rare Book Room at the Central Library. ]]> Shakespeare, William, 1564-1616]]> Rare Book Room of the B&ECPL (repository)]]> eng]]> 17th century (1600-1699)]]> Lil Hardin Armstrong]]> African American women singers]]> (Not identified)]]> Rare Book Room of the B&ECPL (repository)]]> eng]]> Mid-Twentieth Century (1925-1975)]]> [Raleigh, Henry Patrick]]]> Rare Book Room of the B&ECPL (repository)]]> eng]]> Early Twentieth Century (1900-1925)]]> Rare Book Room of the B&ECPL (repository)]]> eng]]> Early Twentieth Century (1900-1925)]]> Langenbach, Clara Emma]]> Rare Book Room of the B&ECPL (repository)]]> eng]]> Early Twentieth Century (1900-1925)]]> Eichberg, Benjamin--Personal narratives]]> Eichberg, Benjamin--Diaries]]> Diaries]]>
Click here to view the typed transcript of this diary.]]> Eichberg, Benjamin.]]> Rare Book Room of the B&ECPL (repository)]]> eng]]> Early Twentieth Century (1900-1925)]]> Green, H. H.]]> Rare Book Room of the B&ECPL (repository)]]> eng]]> Early Twentieth Century (1900-1925)]]> Rare Book Room of the B&ECPL (repository)]]> eng]]> Early Twentieth Century (1900-1925)]]> Green, H. H.]]> Rare Book Room of the B&ECPL (repository)]]> eng]]> Early Twentieth Century (1900-1925)]]> Dabney, Anita]]> S. E.]]> Rare Book Room of the B&ECPL (repository)]]> eng]]> Early Twentieth Century (1900-1925)]]> JWT]]> Rare Book Room of the B&ECPL (repository)]]> eng]]> Early Twentieth Century (1900-1925)]]> African Americans--New York (State)--Buffalo]]> Great Migration, ca. 1914-ca. 1970]]> Education--New York (State)--Buffalo.]]> Uncrowned Queens Institute for Research & Education on Women, Inc.]]> Blanc, Yves-Richard]]> eng]]> Fischer, Nelson]]> Fischer, Thelma]]> World War, 1939-1945]]> World War, 1939-1945--New York (State)--Buffalo]]> Soldiers--New York (State)--Buffalo--Correspondence]]> This scrapbook is a part of the "Fischer Family Collection, circa 1900-1979," which is currently located in the Grosvenor Room at the Central Library of the Buffalo & Erie County Public Library System.]]> Fischer, Thelma (Compiler)]]> Grosvenor Room of the B&ECPL (repository)]]> eng]]> Mid-Twentieth Century (1925-1975)]]> Postcards--New York (State)--Buffalo.]]> National Guard State of New York]]> United States. Army.]]> Curt Teich & Co.]]> Otto Ulbrich Co., Buffalo, N.Y.]]> Curt Teich & Co. (artist)]]> ENG]]> Postcards--New York (State)--Buffalo.]]> National Guard State of New York]]> United States. Army.]]> Curt Teich & Co.]]> Curteich-Chicago (Firm)]]> Otto Ulbrich Co., Buffalo, N.Y.]]> Curt Teich & Co. (artist)]]> ENG]]> Postcards--New York (State)--Buffalo.]]> National Guard State of New York]]> United States. Army.]]> Curt Teich & Co.]]> Curteich-Chicago (Firm)]]> Otto Ulbrich Co., Buffalo, N.Y.]]> Curt Teich & Co. (artist)]]> ENG]]> Postcards--New York (State)--Buffalo.]]> National Guard State of New York]]> United States. Army.]]> Metrocraft Everett Mass]]> ENG]]>