q2K BHP
Black History Portal
THE BHP WIRE —
HIDDEN TRUTHS
What's New!
THE JOURNEY THROUGH TIME

Explore Black History

Explore the people, places, events, achievements, struggles and stories that shaped our journey.

✊🏾

Civil Rights

Movements, leaders, victories and the continuing fight for equality.

⚙️

Black Inventors

Innovation, patents, science, technology and world-changing contributions.

🏆

Sports

Pioneers, champions, Negro Leagues, records, activism and excellence.

♟️

People

Meet the people whose lives, choices and achievements shaped the journey.

📍

Places

Black towns, communities, institutions and places where history happened.

📜

Events

Moments that changed communities, movements, institutions and the nation.

Enter a person, place, event, or topic.
MY'STORY

The MOVE Fire

This is a personal recollection on the Move fire on May 13, 1985 Philadelphia police fired thousands of rounds at the MOVE house, city officials approved dropping an explosive device on the roof, the resulting fire was allowed to burn, 11 people—including five children—died, and 61 homes were destroyed. Philadelphia City Council later called it a “brutal attack carried out by the City of Philadelphia on its own citizens” and acknowledged that no individual faced criminal consequences for the bombing. One timeline correction worth preserving for the BHP record: the major previous MOVE-police confrontation was August 8, 1978, about seven years before the bombing, not a year or two earlier. Officer James Ramp was killed, other police and firefighters were wounded, nine MOVE members were later convicted, and television cameras recorded police beating Delbert Africa during his arrest. The 1985 MOVE Commission later specifically criticized city planners for failing to adequately use lessons from that 1978 confrontation. And that actually strengthens the point you’re making: 1985 did not happen without precedent or institutional memory. There had already been a deadly confrontation with MOVE, years of conflict, negotiations and police involvement before Osage Avenue.

MORE →
BLACK FACTS
The Truths They Never Taught You...

The Violence That Helped Spark the NAACP

In August 1908, a white mob attacked Springfield, Illinois’s Black community, destroying homes and businesses and lynching two Black men. National outrage over the violence helped spur the movement that created the NAACP the following year.

MORE →
BHP gathered finds from its connected research sources. Showing the 4 strongest Black History matches.
← BACK TO RESULTS
NMAAHC

Abstract floral pillbox hat with metallic thread

Date
1960s
Created by
Description
An abstract floral pillbox hat with metallic thread. The hat is made of synthetic satin pattern weave with metallic thread and abstracted florals in blue and teal. Chartreuse, and two shades of brown represent abstracted flowers and stems. The hat is made of two panels of fabric. The top of the crown is made of an ovoid panel which is sewn to another panel that covers the top edge and side of the crown. The back of the side of the crown is slightly longer than the front. A seam is on the center back at the side of the crown. The hat is stiffened with buckram, the inside of the hat is made of cream synthetic faille. A cream synthetic and cotton blend petersham ribbon is machine sewn to the edge of the hat at the interior. A metal wire is machine sewn behind the petersham ribbon. A brown plastic comb is attached to the sides of the hat with a black elastic band. A union label is sewn to the center back interior of the hat behind the petersham ribbon which reads [UNION MADE / FZ 274058 / IN U.S.A].
See more items in
National Museum of African American History and Culture Collection
Collection title
Black Fashion Museum Collection
Classification
Clothing - Fashion and Historical
Credit Line
Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, Gift of the Black Fashion Museum founded by Lois K. Alexander-Lane
Data Source
National Museum of African American History and Culture
Object number
2007.3.778
Type
pillboxes (hats)
hats
Restrictions & Rights
No known copyright restrictions
Proper usage is the responsibility of the user.
Medium
synthetic satin pattern weave with metallic thread, synthetic faille, buckram, plastic, elastic, synthetic cotton blend petersham ribbon, and metal wire
Dimensions
H x W x D x C: 2 1/4 × 7 1/4 × 7 1/2 × 18 3/4 in. (5.7 × 18.4 × 19.1 × 47.6 cm)
Title
Object Name • Abstract floral pillbox hat with metallic thread
Record ID
nmaahc_2007.3.778
Museum
NMAAHC
Title Sort
ABSTRACT FLORAL PILLBOX HAT WITH METALLIC THREAD
Source
National Museum of African American History and Culture
Metadata Usage
CC0
Date
1960s
Type
Online Media Type
Images
Online Media Rights
No Known Copyright Restrictions

Media

Source: National Museum of African American History and Culture, Smithsonian Institution. Rights and restrictions shown above are supplied by the Smithsonian record.

No preview image
NMAAHC

Abstraction

Date: Date

Description

MORE →
No preview image
NMAAHC

Untitled (Abstraction)

Date: Date

Caption

MORE →
NMAAHC

Abstract floral pillbox hat with metallic thread

Date: Date

Description

MORE →
NMAAHC

Blue and white bandana owned by Melvin Van Peebles

Date: Date

Description

MORE →
TOPIC OF THE DAY

Greenwood / Black Wall Street

Before the 1921 destruction of Tulsa’s Greenwood District, Black residents had created a remarkable center of business and community life. The district included stores, professional offices, entertainment venues and homes owned by Black citizens. Understanding Greenwood means learning what was built—not only what was burned.

MORE →
TRIVIA QUESTION OF THE DAY

Who was the first African-American woman millionaire in the United States?

Madam C.J. Walker