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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

Program from the Billie Holiday/Louis Armstrong “Birth of the Blues” concert

Date
April 18, 1947
Written by
Unidentified
Published by
Decca Records, British, founded 1929
Subject of
Billie Holiday, American, 1915 - 1959
Louis Armstrong, American, 1901 - 1971
Velma Middleton, American, 1917 - 1961
Joe Garland, American, 1903 - 1977
Louis Armstrong and his Orchestra, American, 1928 - 1947
Symphony Hall, American, founded 1900
Savoy Cafe, American
Description
A program from the Billie Holiday/Louis Armstrong “Birth of the Blues” concert, at Symphony Hall in Boston, Massachusetts, April 18, 1947. The front cover is missing.
2013.46.25.266a: The interior pages from a program from the Billie Holiday/Louis Armstrong “Birth of the Blues” concert, at Symphony Hall in Boston, April 18, 1947. The interior pages are white with black-and-white text and photographs and include a biographical article on Louis “Satchmo” Armstrong; an illustrated biography of Holiday; listings of Armstrong’s film credits, stage credits, locations, and radio appearances; the concert program; features on Velma Middleton and Joe Garland; recordings by Armstrong and Holiday; and a list of the members of the Louis Armstrong’s Orchestra. The program has twelve (12) interior pages.
2013.46.25.266a: The back cover from a program from the Billie Holiday/Louis Armstrong “Birth of the Blues” concert, at Symphony Hall in Boston, April 18, 1947. The back cover is orange with black text. The top and bottom edges of the cover have two black lines, framing centered text. The top third of the cover has the Decca Records logo, a black oval with the text [Decca / RECORDS] below the three five point stars printed in the negative. The in center third of the cover is text printed in varying fonts that read, [Presents Selections by / LOUIS ARMSTRONG / AND / BILLIE HOLIDAY], above three identical floral graphics. In the bottom third of the cover, in smaller type, is the text, [THESE RECORDS AND ALBUM ON SALE IN THE FOYER AND / AT YOUR FAVORITE RECORD DEALER]. The interior of the back cover is an advertisement for Café Savoy, in Boston, Massachusetts.
Transcription Center Status
Transcribed by digital volunteers
Place used
Boston, Suffolk County, Massachusetts, United States, North and Central America
Topic
African American
Film
Hollywood (Film)
Instrumentalists (Musicians)
Jazz (Music)
Mass media
Nightlife
Singers (Musicians)
Theatre
See more items in
National Museum of African American History and Culture Collection
Collection title
The Laura Cathrell Show-Down Magazine Collection
Classification
Memorabilia and Ephemera - Other
Credit Line
Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture
Data Source
National Museum of African American History and Culture
Object number
2013.46.25.266ab
Type
souvenir programs
Restrictions & Rights
Unknown - Restrictions Possible
Rights assessment and proper usage is the responsibility of the user.
Medium
ink on paper
Dimensions
H x W x D (2013.46.25.266a): 12 1/8 × 8 7/8 × 1/16 in. (30.8 × 22.6 × 0.1 cm)
H x W (2013.46.25.266b): 12 1/8 × 8 15/16 in. (30.8 × 22.7 cm)
Title
Object Name • Program from the Billie Holiday/Louis Armstrong “Birth of the Blues” concert
Record ID
nmaahc_2013.46.25.266ab
Museum
NMAAHC
Title Sort
PROGRAM FROM THE BILLIE HOLIDAY/LOUIS ARMSTRONG “BIRTH OF THE BLUES” CONCERT
Source
National Museum of African American History and Culture
Metadata Usage
CC0
Date
1940s
Name
Louis Armstrong and his Orchestra • Savoy Cafe • Holiday, Billie • Middleton, Velma • Garland, Joe • Armstrong, Louis • Decca Records • Symphony Hall
Place
United States • Massachusetts • North and Central America • Suffolk County • Boston
Topic
Nightlife • Theatre • Hollywood (Film) • Motion pictures • Instrumentalists (Musicians) • Jazz (Music) • Mass media • Singers (Musicians)
Culture
African Americans
Geo Location
City • Boston • County • Suffolk County • State • Massachusetts • Country • United States • Continent • North and Central America
Type
Souvenir programs
Online Media Type
Images
Online Media Rights
Unknown - Restrictions Possible

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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NMAAHC

Black and white photograph of Lucille Armstrong viewing the bust of Eubie Blake

Date: Date

Description

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NMAAHC

Trumpet owned by Louis Armstrong

Date: Date

Caption

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NMAAHC

Autographed program for a Louis Armstrong tour in Australia and New Zealand

Date: Date

Description

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No preview image
NMAAHC

Program from the Billie Holiday/Louis Armstrong “Birth of the Blues” concert

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

What prosperous Tulsa district became widely known as “Black Wall Street”?

The Greenwood District.