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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...

Wilmington 1898 — An American Coup

Wilmington, North Carolina once had a thriving Black middle class and an elected interracial government. In 1898 white supremacists used violence to overthrow that government, kill Black residents and drive many others from the city.

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

Gold and fuchsia cocktail dress and jacket by Bruce Oldfield

Date
1988-1989
Designed by
Bruce Oldfield, British, born 1950
Used by
Ebony Fashion Fair, American, 1958 - 2009
Subject of
Johnson Publishing Company, American, 1942 - 2019
Description
Gold and fuchsia cocktail dress (.1) with coordinating jacket (.2) by Bruce Oldfield.
The strapless mini dress (.1) is made from a golden yellow silk satin. A band of the fabric is folded over the top bust line and left loose along the bottom edge, with a slit at the proper left side where the dress closes with a zipper and one (1) metal hook-and-eye. Folds of the gold fabric are pleated and seamed at the center back waist and hip, then wrapped around the waist and tacked in place so that they drape down slightly on the front side. An oversized fuchsia silk satin double-looped bow without tails is sewn over the pleated seam of the waist at the center back. The dress is fully lined in golden yellow lightweight silk. Boning is sewn around the bodice for structure and shaping. A white fabric label with black, blue, and grey embroidered text is sewn at the interior center back bodice that reads "BRUCE OLDFIELD". A fiber content tag and a size and care tag are sewn to the bottom edge of it.
The jacket (.2) is collarless with full-length tapered cuff-less sleeves. It closes at the center front just above the waist with one (1) self-fabric covered button, one (1) metal snap, and one (1) metal hook-and-eye. The bottom front of the jacket is shorter than the back, with rounded front bottom sides. The jacket is made from a textured wool and silk blend fabric with heavier weight supplementary wool threads woven into lighter weight silk, creating a textured pattern that looks like an all-over quilted fabric from afar. The upper body and sleeves are made in a fuchsia tone, while the pleated bottom panel is made in a golden yellow tone. The jacket is fully lined in synthetic fabric, the color of the lining corresponding to the color of the facing. Shoulder pads are sewn between the facing and lining. A white fabric label with black, blue, and grey embroidered text is sewn at the interior center back neck that reads "BRUCE OLDFIELD". A fiber content tag and a size and care tag are sewn to the bottom edge of it.
Topic
African American
Clothing and dress
Design
Fashion
Fashion design
See more items in
National Museum of African American History and Culture Collection
Collection title
Ebony Fashion Fair Collection
Classification
Clothing - Fashion and Historical
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
2015.141.7.1-.2
Type
jackets
cocktail dresses
Restrictions & Rights
No known copyright restrictions
Proper usage is the responsibility of the user.
Medium
dress: silk satin, silk lining, and metal fasteners;
jacket: wool and silk blend cloth, synthetic fiber, and metal fasteners
Dimensions
H x W (.1 flat): 33 1/2 × 18 1/2 in. (85.1 × 47 cm)
H x W (.2 flat): 28 1/2 × 19 1/2 in. (72.4 × 49.5 cm)
Title
Object Name • Gold and fuchsia cocktail dress and jacket by Bruce Oldfield
Record ID
nmaahc_2015.141.7.1-.2
Museum
NMAAHC
Title Sort
GOLD AND FUCHSIA COCKTAIL DRESS AND JACKET BY BRUCE OLDFIELD
Source
National Museum of African American History and Culture
Metadata Usage
CC0
Date
1980s
Name
Johnson Publishing Company • Ebony Fashion Fair • Oldfield, Bruce
Topic
Design • Clothing and dress • Fashion
Culture
African Americans
Type
Dresses (garments) • jackets
Online Media Rights
No Known Copyright Restrictions

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

Teal and black lace cocktail dress by Bruce Oldfield

Date: Date

Description

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NMAAHC

Red halter jumpsuit and shawl by Bruce Oldfield

Date: Date

Description

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NMAAHC

Gold and fuchsia cocktail dress and jacket by Bruce Oldfield

Date: Date

Description

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NMAAHC

Walter Bruce Oral History Interview

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