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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.

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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.

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BHP gathered finds from its connected research sources. Showing the 4 strongest Black History matches.
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NMAAHC

Costume worn by Maxine Jones in "Giving Him Something He Can Feel" video

Date
1992
Designed by
Danny Flynn
Manufactured by
Frederick's of Hollywood, founded 1947
Anne Klein, founded 1968
Worn by
Maxine Jones, American, born 1962
Subject of
En Vogue, American, founded 1989
Description
A costume worn by Maxine Jones of En Vogue for the music video "Giving Him Something He Can Feel" (1992) comprised of a red dress (.1), a bra (.2), a pair of elbow-length black gloves (.3), and a pair of black stiletto heels (.4ab).
Dress (.1): A red halter neck sleeveless dress with an ankle-length skirt. The dress is made from a red stretch knit sewn with the dull side of the fabric facing. The front of the bodice scoops below the bust. There is a sixteen (16) inch slit along the proper right side of the skirt, with the edges of the slit rounded at the hem. The letter "M" is handwritten in black ink on the inside front bodice. The dress is not lined.
Bra (.2): A red push-up bra with a plunging neckline between the cups, red sheer wings, and adjustable back straps. The padded cups are faced with red satin. Each cup has an insert for additional padding, but the padding has been removed. There is a white manufacturer's label with printed text sewn to the interior bottom seam of the proper left wing that reads, "frederick's / of Hollywood / FIBER & CARE ON BACK / [horizontal] 5796 34C", with the letter "M" handwritten in black ink horizontally over the fiber content and care instructions on the back.
Gloves (.3ab): A pair of black elbow-length stretch gloves, both alike. The gloves are seamed along the exterior side and around the fingers, with a separate thumb attached to the gusset. The letter "M" is handwritten in white ink or paint on the interior of each glove near the opening.
Shoes (.4ab): A pair of black pointed close-toed high heels with an ankle strap closure. The toe box, the ankle strap, and the heel all are faced in black synthetic crepe fabric. The straps attach just behind the toe box and just in front of the heel on the interior and exterior sides, extending up to form a v shape at the side of the foot and to connect with a single strap over the bridge of the foot. There is an additional strap that reaches from the point of the v around the back of the ankle, with a gold buckle that fastens at the exterior side of the ankle. The soles of the shoes are made of brown leather. The heels have a flat heel breast that tapers at the back so that the back edge of the heel is pointed. The heels are tipped with black rubber. The interior of the toe box, the straps, and the insole are made of a gold metallic imitation leather. On the insole near the heel of both shoes is a black label with gold stitching reading "ANNE KLEIN COUTURE". The letter "M" is handwritten in black ink on the insole heel of both shoes. On the underside of both shoes at the shank is engraved text reading “LEATHER / CUIR / LEDER / CUOIO / MADE IN ITALY / M / 7 1/2".
Topic
African American
Clothing and dress
Design
Fashion design
Popular music
Singers (Musicians)
Women
See more items in
National Museum of African American History and Culture Collection
Classification
Clothing - Costume
Exhibition
Musical Crossroads
On View
NMAAHC (1400 Constitution Ave NW), National Mall Location, Culture/Fourth Floor, 4 053
Credit Line
Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, Gift of En Vogue
Data Source
National Museum of African American History and Culture
Object number
2014.189.1.1-.4ab
Type
dresses
brassieres
gloves
pumps (shoes)
Restrictions & Rights
No Known Copyright Restrictions
Proper usage is the responsibility of the user.
Medium
Dress: synthetic fiber and spandex
Bra: Polyester fiber, nylon, spandex, and metal (underwire)
Gloves: nylon and spandex
Shoes: crepe, leather, rubber, and metal
Dimensions
H x W (.1, dress, flat): 48 1/2 × 12 1/4 in. (123.2 × 31.1 cm)
H x W x D (.1, dress, on form): 52 × 12 1/2 × 8 in. (132.1 × 31.8 × 20.3 cm)
H x W (,2, bra, flat): 10 3/4 × 11 1/4 in. (27.3 × 28.6 cm)
H x W x D (.2, bra, on form): 9 3/4 × 10 1/4 × 9 in. (24.8 × 26 × 22.9 cm)
H x W (.3a, glove (left)): 19 1/2 × 4 1/4 in. (49.5 × 10.8 cm)
H x W (.3b, glove (right)): 19 1/2 × 4 1/2 in. (49.5 × 11.4 cm)
H x W x D (.4a, shoe (left)): 5 1/4 × 3 × 9 1/2 in. (13.3 × 7.6 × 24.1 cm)
H x W x D (.4b, shoe (right)): 5 1/4 × 3 × 9 1/2 in. (13.3 × 7.6 × 24.1 cm)
Title
Object Name • Costume worn by Maxine Jones in "Giving Him Something He Can Feel" video
Record ID
nmaahc_2014.189.1.1-.4ab
Museum
NMAAHC
Title Sort
COSTUME WORN BY MAXINE JONES IN "GIVING HIM SOMETHING HE CAN FEEL" VIDEO
Source
National Museum of African American History and Culture
Metadata Usage
CC0
Date
1990s
Name
Flynn, Danny • Jones, Maxine • Frederick's of Hollywood • En Vogue • Anne Klein
Topic
Design • Women • Music • Clothing and dress • Fashion • Singers (Musicians)
Culture
African Americans
Exhibition
NMAAHC • Musical Crossroads
Type
Gloves • pumps (shoes) • Dresses (garments) • brassieres
On Physical Exhibit
Yes
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.

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Black Panthers from Sacramento, Free Huey Rally, Bobby Hutton Memorial Park, Oakland, CA, No. 62

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NMAAHC

Costume worn by Maxine Jones in "Giving Him Something He Can Feel" video

Date: Date

Description

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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.

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TRIVIA QUESTION OF THE DAY

Which Supreme Court case ruled state-sponsored public-school segregation unconstitutional?

Brown v. Board of Education in 1954.