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THE JOURNEY THROUGH TIME
BHP HOME BEFORE AMERICA 1800–1936 1937–1957 1958–1980 1981–2000 2001–PRESENT

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

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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...

Shirley Chisholm — Unbought and Unbossed

In 1968 Shirley Chisholm became the first Black woman elected to the United States Congress. In 1972 she launched a campaign for the Democratic presidential nomination, breaking another political barrier.

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

Un-edited audio files for an oral history interview with Frank Wright

Date
2012
Created by
National Museum of African American History and Culture, American, founded 2003
Interview of
Franklin I. Wright, American, 1937 - 2020
Interviewed by
Kelly Elaine Navies, American
Subject of
Ira Samuel Wright, American, 1902 - 1981
Bowie State University, founded 1865
Wright Brothers Quartet, American
Description
Two unedited audio files for an oral history interview with Frank Wright. The files are held in Waveform Audio File Format (WAVE) (.wav).
Mr. Frank Wright was interviewed by Kelly Elaine Navies on August 19th, 2012, at his daughter’s home in Hebron, Maryland. At the time of the interview, Mr. Wright was 75 years old. The purpose of the interview was to record Mr. Wright’s memories of being a third-generation waterman on Maryland’s Eastern Shore.
The interview begins with Mr. Wright recounting his earliest memories of going out on the oyster boat with his father, Ira Wright. He recalls how he learned to cull, and later, to tong oysters, and he describes a typical day working on the water. He discusses the close-knit community of African American watermen and remembers how they helped each other on and off the water. Mr. Wright also talks about the various activities his family was involved in beyond oystering, such as crabbing, fishing, farming, and operating a general store. He explains how his mother ran the general store and maintained the household, and he shares how she encouraged him to become a teacher. Toward the end of the interview, he talks about his work as a schoolteacher, and later, a store owner. In conclusion, Mr. Wright reflects on what he hopes Museum visitors remember about his family and their work as watermen.
Place collected
Hebron, Wicomico County, Maryland, United States, North and Central America
Topic
African American
Black Enterprise
Business
Foodways
Labor
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National Museum of African American History and Culture Collection
Classification
Time-based Media - Audio
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
2024.61.1.2ab
Type
sound recordings
WAVE (format)
digital media - born digital
Medium
digital
Dimensions
Duration (a): 1 hr., 19 min., 57 sec.
File size (a): 807 MB
Duration (b): 5 min., 29 sec.
File size (b): 55.4 MB
Title
Object Name • Un-edited audio files for an oral history interview with Frank Wright
Record ID
nmaahc_2024.61.1.2ab
Museum
NMAAHC
Title Sort
UN-EDITED AUDIO FILES FOR AN ORAL HISTORY INTERVIEW WITH FRANK WRIGHT
Source
National Museum of African American History and Culture
Metadata Usage
CC0
Date
2010s
Name
Wright, Ira Samuel • Navies, Kelly Elaine • National Museum of African American History and Culture • Bowie State University • Wright, Franklin I. • Wright Brothers Quartet
Place
United States • Hebron • North and Central America • Wicomico County • Maryland
Topic
Black Enterprise • Labor unions • Business
Culture
African Americans
Geo Location
City • Hebron • County • Wicomico County • State • Maryland • Country • United States • Continent • North and Central America
Type
digital media - born digital • Sound recordings • WAVE (format)
Online Media Rights
Copyright Owned

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

Audio Two at Haagen-Dazs

Date: Date

Description

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NMAAHC

Photographic print of Audio Two at Grand Army Plaza, Brooklyn

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Description

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NMAAHC

Un-edited audio files for an oral history interview with Frank Wright

Date: Date

Description

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NMAAHC

The Literary Corner: Kenneth Chambers on John A. Williams (side a) / Addison Gayle on Black Literary Criticism (side b)

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

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

Madam C.J. Walker