A Star Who Never Forgot His Roots
During nearly 40 years in movies, TV, and Broadway,Wendell E. Pierce has never forgotten his roots. He’s stayed connected to his hometown, even after graduating from Benjamin Franklin High School, NOCCA, and Julliard. He returned often to see his parents and became a partner in the Equity Media Group, which owns WBOK 1230AM, one of the country’s oldest Black-owned radio stations.
Pierce Shines at the Democratic National Convention
Many were surprised to see Wendell Pierce at the Democratic National Convention last month. But New Orleanians often see him around town. The native New Orleanian opened the Louisiana delegation’s nomination of Kamala Harris for president on April 20, 2024. Pierce greeted the crowd with a broad smile, enthusiasm, and pride.
Pierce introduced himself as a “proud son of Louisiana.” Surrounded by fellow Louisianans, he said, “Louisiana is about family, and this is my family of delegates.” After introducing U.S. Congressman Troy Carter, who declared Louisiana’s support for democracy, Pierce took the mic back. He described New Orleans in ways few have heard: “Born out of Democracy from The Big Easy, the northernmost Caribbean city, the last bohemia was jazz.”
A Son of New Orleans with Strong Values
Pierce’s parents shaped his down-to-earth character. New Orleans’ culture of treating everyone with respect, dignity, and like family influenced him deeply. But these values start at home, where parents teach their children to respect others, even when that respect isn’t returned.
Black New Orleanians are kind, warm, and straightforward. They speak their minds and guard personal boundaries, a caution often misunderstood as standoffishness. Pierce’s parents, Amos E. Pierce, Jr. and Althea Pierce, instilled strong values in him. His father, a maintenance engineer and decorated WWII veteran, taught him love, wisdom, and the importance of time. His mother, a teacher, emphasized education as a key to success.
Growing Up in Pontchartrain Park
Pierce grew up in Pontchartrain Park, a Black middle-class community and the first post-WWII enclave for Black homeowners in New Orleans. Although segregated, it produced many influential people. After WWII, Amos Pierce worked as a professional photographer until the industry changed with the advent of personal cameras.
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Like many parents, Amos worried about his son’s acting career, but he lived to see Wendell’s success. At 97, Amos watched his son play the lead in “Death of a Salesman” on Broadway. Pierce shared his father’s wisdom during an interview with Think504.com, recalling how his father once said, “There are those who don’t have your best interest at heart.”
Lessons from His Father
Pierce remembered his father being denied six medals for heroism by a White officer. He also learned that, “You can only change your contribution to a dysfunctional paradigm. You can’t change anyone else’s.” This advice has guided Pierce throughout his career.
The award-winning actor is imbued with his father’s warning: ‘Exercise your right of self-determination.’” And that’s exactly what Wendell Pierce did. He was determined to succeed against all odds, and he has.
A Mother’s Legacy of Learning
Pierce’s mother left him with a love for learning. He has a deep knowledge of Black history and politics. At the DNC, Pierce expressed disappointment that there wasn’t a video tribute to Fannie Lou Hamer. On August 22, 1964, Hamer was denied a seat at the DNC because of “Dixiecrats” and their southern strategy.
“We don’t know these people,” Pierce said of Hamer and other Black freedom fighters. He criticized the absence of Black history in classrooms, adding, “There’s been so much effort in changing history. We must remember our history. There is blood on the ballot.”
Highlighting Forgotten History
Pierce recounted events like the Thibodaux massacre during a sugar cane workers’ strike and the 1866 Massacre at the Mechanics Institute in New Orleans. He compared the abortion laws in Texas to the Fugitive Slave Acts of 1865, highlighting how both aim to control personal freedom.
Pierce warned that events like the January 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol could happen again. “When we lose this election, we erase history and go back to state massacres.” He urged people to honor the legacy of those who fought for voting rights, saying, “There is blood on the ballot.”
A Call to Vote
“If you care about things like Medicaid, Social Security, Labor Laws, the FDA, FAA, FCC, food safety, and voting rights,” he said, “go vote.”