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GREENWOOD / BLACK WALL STREET WILMINGTON 1898 LITTLE ROCK NINE TUSKEGEE STUDY ROSEWOOD 1923 THE TUSKEGEE AIRMEN SENECA VILLAGE BLACK TOWNS GREENWOOD / BLACK WALL STREET WILMINGTON 1898 LITTLE ROCK NINE TUSKEGEE STUDY ROSEWOOD 1923 THE TUSKEGEE AIRMEN SENECA VILLAGE BLACK TOWNS
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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...

Ruler of the Mali Empire in the 14th century

Mansa Musa was the ruler of the Mali Empire in West Africa. Details recorded here should be sourced; unknown information is left blank.

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

Watercolor costume sketch by Lemuel Ayers for the musical, St. Louis Woman

Date
1945
Created by
Lemuel Ayers, American, 1915 - 1955
Subject of
Robert Pope
Description
A watercolor sketch by Lemuel Ayers of a costume for the musical "St. Louis Woman", as performed in 1946. This costume is for the character "Badfoot" performed by Robert Pope. At the center of the sheet of paper is a light sketch in pencil painted over in watercolor of a man wearing a long black jacket with a purple rosette boutonniere, a purple and teal-patterned vest, a white dress shirt, light-colored pinstriped pants and black shoes, with his left arm partially raised. There is a graphite sketch of a guitar, not painted, extending down to the ground from the man's right hand. At the upper left hand corner, in ink, is handwritten [#56]. Behind the figure of the man are some lightly painted lines indicating a wall and floorboards. Handwritten in pencil behind the man's right shoulder is written [emb. vest/ and velvet bund]. Stapled to the upper right corner of the paper is an index card with handwriting at the top, in ink: [Sk 56/ Badfoot]. Below this, five (5) swatches of fabric---violet, teal, purple, pink, and cream--- are stapled and/or glued. Next to the swatches are notes, handwritten in ink, indicating where each fabric is used in the costume. Below the attached piece of paper, hand written, is the text: [Black stripes./ on trouser leg./ emb stripe on pant]. At the bottom center, below the sketch of the guitar, is written in blue: [Pope]. At the bottom right corner is handwritten in red paint: [Badfoot -/ Cake walk & Funeral]. On the verso, the sketch is stamped with a United Scenic Artists stamp and signed at the lower right corner in graphite: [L. Ayers].
Topic
African American
Art
Costume design
Design
Musical Theatre
See more items in
National Museum of African American History and Culture Collection
Classification
Decorative Arts, Craft, and Design
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
2011.57.45.1
Type
design drawings
Restrictions & Rights
Unknown - Restrictions Possible
Rights assessment and proper usage is the responsibility of the user.
Medium
watercolor, graphite and ink on paper with cloth and metal staples
Dimensions
H x W: 12 x 9 3/4 in. (30.5 x 24.8 cm)
Title
Object Name • Watercolor costume sketch by Lemuel Ayers for the musical, St. Louis Woman
Record ID
nmaahc_2011.57.45.1
Museum
NMAAHC
Title Sort
WATERCOLOR COSTUME SKETCH BY LEMUEL AYERS FOR THE MUSICAL, ST. LOUIS WOMAN
Source
National Museum of African American History and Culture
Metadata Usage
CC0
Date
1940s
Name
Pope, Robert • Ayers, Lemuel
Topic
Design • Art • Costume • Musical Theatre
Culture
African Americans
Type
Design drawings
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

Vibraphone used by Roy Ayers

Date: Date

Description

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NMAAHC

Wedding ring belonging to Louise Ayers Church

Date: Date

Description

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NMAAHC

Watercolor costume sketch by Lemuel Ayers for the musical, St. Louis Woman

Date: Date

Description

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NMAAHC

Watercolor costume sketch by Lemuel Ayers for the musical, St. Louis Woman

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 became the first Black woman to travel into space?

Mae Jemison, aboard Space Shuttle Endeavour in 1992.