q2K BHP
Black History Portal
THE BHP WIRE —
HIDDEN TRUTHS
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
What's New!
THE JOURNEY THROUGH TIME
BHP HOME BEFORE AMERICA 1800–1936 1937–1957 1958–1980 1981–2000 2001–PRESENT

Explore Black History

Explore the people, places, events, achievements, struggles and stories that shaped our journey.

✊🏾

Civil Rights

Movements, leaders, victories and the continuing fight for equality.

⚙️

Black Inventors

Innovation, patents, science, technology and world-changing contributions.

🏆

Sports

Pioneers, champions, Negro Leagues, records, activism and excellence.

♟️

People

Meet the people whose lives, choices and achievements shaped the journey.

📍

Places

Black towns, communities, institutions and places where history happened.

📜

Events

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

Enter a person, place, event, or topic.
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.

MORE →
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.

MORE →
BHP gathered finds from its connected research sources. Showing the 4 strongest Black History matches.
← BACK TO RESULTS
NMAAHC

Letter to William Turner from Eyo Honesty II

Date
1845
Written by
Eyo Honesty II, Nigerian
Received by
William Turner
Signed by
Eyamba V, Nigerian
Description
This letter was written in Old Calabar, Nigeria by King Eyo Honesty II to Captain William Turner in Liverpool, England. The relationship between Eyo and Captain Turner developed as a result of the British banned slave trade. The letter is dated 23 February 1845. An excerpt of this letter reads: “Captain Turner / My old friend & brother for Egbo … After next year I am very glad to see you for first ship – I think river will come up good. Every body glad to see you & all men very well from Creek Town. Only Tom Eyo King Ebonys been sick long time – And I loose my first Captain – your Queen … send his compliment to you and all your family … I think my pocket a little big this time – And you try best you can to make one Calabar merchant send me out 2 long Egbo Dance cane … I hope you do that as good friend. Dont forget me – also I have write you by plenty men – I dont know if you got my letter or not. I Remain your old Friend / King Eyo Honesty head Trader / King Brass Egbo / And Eyamba Brass Egbo z Brother”.
Transcription Center Status
Transcribed by digital volunteers
Place made
Old Calabar, Nigeria, West Africa, Africa
Topic
African American
Africa
Commerce
Correspondence
International affairs
Slavery
Trans-Atlantic slave trade
See more items in
National Museum of African American History and Culture Collection
Classification
Slavery and Freedom Objects
Documents and Manuscripts
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
2018.46.8.7
Type
documents
letters (correspondence)
Restrictions & Rights
Public domain
Proper usage is the responsibility of the user.
Medium
ink on wove paper
Dimensions
H x W (spread): 10 1/16 × 15 13/16 in. (25.5 × 40.2 cm)
H x W (folded): 10 1/16 × 7 15/16 in. (25.5 × 20.2 cm)
Title
Object Name • Letter to William Turner from Eyo Honesty II
Record ID
nmaahc_2018.46.8.7
Museum
NMAAHC
Title Sort
LETTER TO WILLIAM TURNER FROM EYO HONESTY II
Source
National Museum of African American History and Culture
Metadata Usage
CC0
Date
1840s
Name
Honesty, Eyo • Turner, William • Eyamba
Place
Old Calabar • West Africa • Nigeria
Topic
Slavery • Trans-Atlantic slave trade • Correspondence • International affairs • Business
Culture
African Americans
Geo Location
City • Old Calabar • Country • Nigeria • Region • West Africa • Continent • Africa
Type
Documents • Correspondence
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

Newspaper clippings about Old Calabar

Date: Date

Description

MORE →
No preview image
NMAAHC

Buju Banton, Calabar Football Field

Date: Date

Description

MORE →
NMAAHC

Autograph note written to William Turner by Eyamba V

Date: Date

Description

MORE →
NMAAHC

Letter to William Turner from Eyo Honesty II

Date: Date

Description

MORE →
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.

MORE →
TRIVIA QUESTION OF THE DAY

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

Shirley Chisholm, elected in 1968.