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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

Bottle of custom made “Lena” perfume gift with drawstring bag and card

Date
after 1950
Created by
Unidentified
Manufactured by
Saint-Gobain Desjonquères, French, founded 1665
Distributed by
Avant New York, American
Subject of
Lena Horne, American, 1917 - 2010
Description
A2011.1.1.1abc: A bottle of custom made “Lena” perfume gift with drawstring bag and gift card
A2011.1.1.1a: A 1.7oz bottle of “Lena” perfume. It is molded, clear glass with a silver metal cap. The bottle is trapezoidal in shape with a wider shoulder than base. The cap is tubular shaped and there is a band of clear residue at the bottom where it sits on the bottle's shoulder. Adhered to the front is a black label, rectangular in shape with rounded edges. Silver, art deco style text printed vertically down the center of the label reads [L / E / N / A]. A molded mark on the bottom of the bottle reads [C]. The bottle is mostly full of an amber colored perfume.
A2011.1.1.1b: A drawstring bag for a bottle of “Lena” perfume (A2011.1.1.1a:). The bag is constructed from two pieces of plain, black velvet and has a black drawstring at the top.
A2011.1.1.1a: A gift card for a bottle of “Lena” perfume (A2011.1.1.1a:). The small white card features the name of the perfume, [LENA], printed in gray text at the top center inside a thin, black, rectangular frame. Printed, centered, black text below reads [Perfume / 1.7 oz. 50ml / Ingredients / SDA 39C, Water, / Fragrance / Gift / Not for Resale / Distributed by / Avant New York, / NYC, NY 10016]. The back of the card is blank.
Place used
New York City, New York, United States, North and Central America
Place made
New York City, New York, United States, North and Central America
Topic
African American
Actors
Beauty culture
Cosmetics
Dance
Entertainers
Film
Jazz (Music)
Singers (Musicians)
Women
See more items in
National Museum of African American History and Culture Collection
Classification
Accessories and Personal Effects
Credit Line
Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, Gift of Edouard E. Plummer
Data Source
National Museum of African American History and Culture
Object number
A2011.1.1.1abc
Type
perfume bottles
Restrictions & Rights
No known copyright restrictions
Proper usage is the responsibility of the user.
Medium
A2011.1.1.1a: glass and metal with perfume
A2011.1.1.1b: velvet with cord (fiber product)
A2011.1.1.1c: ink on paper (fiber product)
Dimensions
H x W x D (A2011.1.1.1a): 4 1/2 × 2 3/8 × 1 3/8 in. (11.5 × 6 × 3.5 cm)
H x W x D (A2011.1.1.1b): 7 3/16 × 4 15/16 × 9/16 in. (18.3 × 12.5 × 1.5 cm)
Title
Object Name • Bottle of custom made “Lena” perfume gift with drawstring bag and card
Record ID
nmaahc_A2011.1.1.1abc
Museum
NMAAHC
Title Sort
BOTTLE OF CUSTOM MADE “LENA” PERFUME GIFT WITH DRAWSTRING BAG AND CARD
Source
National Museum of African American History and Culture
Metadata Usage
CC0
Date
1950s
Name
Avant New York • Saint-Gobain Desjonquères • Horne, Lena
Place
New York City • United States • North and Central America
Topic
Women • Actors and actresses • Beauty culture • Dance • Cosmetics • Motion pictures • Entertainers • Jazz (Music) • Singers (Musicians)
Culture
African Americans
Geo Location
City • New York City • State • New York • Country • United States • Continent • North and Central America
Type
Perfume bottles
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.

NMAAHC

Bottle of custom made “Lena” perfume gift with drawstring bag and card

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Description

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NMAAHC

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Bottle used to christen the S.S. Harriet Tubman

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No preview image
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Untitled (Bottle People Series)

Date: Date

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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 Black woman became the first elected to the United States Congress?

Shirley Chisholm, elected in 1968.