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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

Badge for the 36th American Legion Annual Convention

Date
1954
Manufactured by
Unidentified
Distributed by
American Legion, American, founded 1919
Owned by
John Roland Anderson, American, 1880 - 1962
Description
A badge for the 36th American Legion Annual National Convention owned by John Roland Anderson. The badge consists of a gold tone bar holding a short, silk ribbon that is attached to a bronze colored badge. The gold tone bar is rectangular shaped with a pin and a C clasp closure on the back. The ribbon is crimped to the front of the bar on each side. Below the pin is an olive green ribbon with a wide navy center stripe, bookended by two, thin, rainbow stripes. Attached to the bottom of the ribbon with two jump rings is a badge. The badge is tablet shaped and is primarily bronze tone with blue enamel accents. The embossed obverse of the medal centrally features an image of George Washington set inside an oval frame embellished with five point stars. On either side of the image of Washington are two vertical bands of laurel leaves. Behind and above Washington is an image of the United States Capitol Building set inside a semicircular sunburst. Just below Washington’s portrait, is small circular logo for the American Legion. The logo features a five pointed star with a circle at the center and embossed text that reads [US]. The star is framed within a blue enameled, circular band with a bronze text that reads [AMERICAN] at the top and [LEGION] at the bottom. Bronze embossed text inside a rectangular band below reads [36TH / ANNUAL] on the left and [1954 / CONVENTION] on the right. Embossed text along the bottom edge reads [WASHINGTON, D.C.]. The reverse of the badge is plain. The badge attaches to the short ribbon with a round jump ring threaded through a soldered bail at the top of the badge.
Place used
Washington, District of Columbia, United States, North and Central America
Topic
African American
Associations and institutions
Buffalo Soldiers
Local and regional
Military
See more items in
National Museum of African American History and Culture Collection
Classification
Awards, Medals, and Insignia
Exhibition
Double Victory: The African American Military Experience
On View
NMAAHC (1400 Constitution Ave NW), National Mall Location, Community/Third Floor, 3 053
Credit Line
Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, Gift of William and Gregory Gwaltney
Data Source
National Museum of African American History and Culture
Object number
2023.17.1.1
Type
badges
Restrictions & Rights
Unknown – Restrictions Possible
Rights assessment and proper usage is the responsibility of the user.
Medium
silk with metal and copper alloy
Dimensions
H x W x D: 3 1/2 × 1 7/16 × 3/16 in. (9 × 3.6 × 0.5 cm)
Title
Object Name • Badge for the 36th American Legion Annual Convention
Record ID
nmaahc_2023.17.1.1
Museum
NMAAHC
Title Sort
BADGE FOR THE 36TH AMERICAN LEGION ANNUAL CONVENTION
Source
National Museum of African American History and Culture
Metadata Usage
CC0
Date
1950s
Name
American Legion • Anderson, John Roland
Place
District of Columbia • United States • North and Central America • Washington
Topic
Buffalo Soldiers • Associations and institutions • Military
Culture
African Americans
Exhibition
NMAAHC • Double Victory: The African American Military Experience
Geo Location
City • Washington • State • District of Columbia • Country • United States • Continent • North and Central America
Type
Badges
On Physical Exhibit
Yes
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

Badge for the 36th American Legion Annual Convention

Date: Date

Description

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NMAAHC

Badge for the 31st American Legion Annual National Convention

Date: Date

Description

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NMAAHC

Charleston slave badge from 1801 for Mechanic No. 108

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NMAAHC

Pinback button with a Mary McLeod Bethune stamp from Mae's Millinery Shop

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.