"PICCOLO DAY" MR. JOHN SAXON PIERCE

MR. JOHN SAXON PIERCE "PICCOLO DAY"

THE ENTIRE SAVANNAH COMMUNITY & SURROUNDING AREAS

YOU ARE INVITED TO COME AND PAY TRIBUTE TO A CIVIL RIGHTS LEGEND
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FAMILY DAY
BIG FUN**BIG FOOD

(PICNIC IN THE PARK, BRING YOUR BASKET OF FOOD)

SATURDAY-AUGUST 25,2007-1:00-5:00 P.M.

DAFFIN PARK
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SUNDAY SERVICE

SUNDAY-AUGUST 26,2007-11:00 A.M.

ST. JAMES A.M.E. CHURCH

612 EAST BROAD STREET

SAVANNAH, GEORGIA

Sponsored By

THE SAVANNAH BRANCH NAACP

CO-SPONSOR ALUMNI ASSOCIATION

FAMILY & FRIENDS OF "PICCOLO" MR. JOHN SAXON PIERCE

"JOHN SAXON PIERCE"

On July 10, 1935 a solder was born, John Saxon Pierce. In his ladder years old folks gave him the name "Piccolo" because, he said, "Old folks always give you a nickname."Everyone in Savannah seems to know "Piccolo" (although many who see him everyday are not aware of his significants role in the Civil Rights Movement).
Some just look at him as a poor black man in front of the courthouse begging for some change. No one ever knew the significance of the money. It was just a conversation piece, a reason to start reminiscing.

He grew up poor and educated on the streets. Yet he had more knowledge than most highly educated folks. He marched with Dr. Martin Luther King.He stood by the side of prominent people such as;Hosea Williams, Bobby Hill,Prince Jackson,Benjamin Van Clark, WW Law,Walter Simmons, Harris Odell,Robbie Robinson, Joseph Murry Rivers,Frank G. Murry, Terry Tolbert and James Holmes and the list goes on. He received numerous awards and recognitions.He received the key to the city of Savannah. Proclamation was issued on______by______ declaring Aug. 23rd as " Piccolo Day." He also received a plaque from the "African Monument Association" on 2/23/1999.

John Saxon Pierce "Piccolo" became a foot soldier at an early age. In his 30's he marched with Hosea Williams,a fury lieutenant of Kings, in the 1965 "Bloody Sunday" march in Selma, Ala. He was marching one cold morning when the police attacked them with tear gas and sticks. They put him in jail, all of them, but when they got out they marched again. Jesse Jackson operated the breadbasket.Governor Wallace said they couldn't come in. They shot tear gas at them while they marched and sang.

Piccolo also marched on Park Avenue. The preacher wouldn't let them march on God's church. The Chief of Police, Sidney Barnes, told him to get out of the street. he again went to jail along with Bobby Hill and Hosea Williams. Piccolo spent 55 days in jail. When he got out, he marched again. He has been arrested over 50 times for his participation in the Civil Rights demonstrations.

They spat in his face; he's been beaten with batons,tear-gased and jailed. He saw a woman get her brains beaten out of her. He went to bed scared and woke up the next morning scared. Yet he never got killed. Each time, as he always said, "God brought him back". And each time again the soldier marched.

Age and the toils of marching have caught up with Piccolo. He now rest at home.He sits on the porch waiting to tell his stories to passers-by. He prayed and lived his life,never regretting a moment.He still sings the lyrics of his favorite song "O "Unsung Hero". We'll just call him "Memorable".



Jasalfa says, That I know Piccolo since I was a kid growing up and was told about him as a kid.And one thing that I know most about him is that there is no one in Savannah that don't know his name. I salute the Man.