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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 knit dress and sweater designed by Patrick Kelly

Date
1985-1989
Designed by
Patrick Kelly, American, 1954 - 1990
Caption
Patrick Kelly, a young, gay African American designer from Missisippi, became an international sensation in Paris during the mid-1980s for his bold and often whimsical designs. As the first American and person of color to be admitted as a member of the Chambre syndicale du prêt-à-porter, he broke barriers in the French fashion industry. Drawing on his childhood in the American South as inspiration, Kelly repurposed racial imagery and integrated elements of Black joy through bright colors, bows, and an extravagant use of buttons. Though his career lasted only from 1985 to 1990 before his death at 35 from AIDS complications, Kelly’s influence was profound—elevating African American designers and creating space for others, like Kerby Jean-Raymond, to playfully explore racial themes in fashion.
Description
A gold knit dress and sweater designed by Patrick Kelly. The sleeveless full length fitted dress (a) is made of gold synthetic knit with gold metallic thread. The dress has a round neckline, a half inch wide self-fabric band is sewn to the edge of the neckline and the armscyes. The back of the dress has a low scoop neckline. All the interior seams are finished with machine overlock stitching. The single fold hem is hand sewn to the interior. A woven fabric label is sewn to the center back interior at the proper left side of the low back. The label reads [PATRICK KELLY / PARIS] the text [MADE IN FRANCE] is woven vertically to the left side of the text.
The sweater (b) is made of the same gold synthetic knit with gold metallic thread. It has a wide self-fabric turtleneck collar. The collar has a center back seam. The sweater has a rounded neckline at the front which is lower than the back of the neckline. The long sleeves taper inwards slightly towards the bottoms. Padding covered with white synthetic is sewn under each shoulder. All the interior seams are finished with machine overlock stitching. The single fold hem is hand sewn to the interior. A woven fabric label is sewn to the center back interior below the collar. The label reads [PATRICK KELLY / PARIS] the text [MADE IN FRANCE] is woven vertically to the left side of the text.
Place made
Paris, France, Europe
Topic
African American
Black Enterprise
Clothing and dress
Design
Fashion
Fashion design
See more items in
National Museum of African American History and Culture Collection
Classification
Clothing - Fashion and Historical
Credit Line
Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, Gift of Bjorn G. Amelan and William T. Jones
Data Source
National Museum of African American History and Culture
Object number
2018.9.25ab
Type
dresses
sweaters
sheath dresses
Restrictions & Rights
© Estate of Patrick Kelly
Permission required for use. Proper usage is the responsibility of the user.
Medium
synthetic knit with metallic thread, synthetic, and padding
Dimensions
a: dress
Length (a: shoulder to hem): 59 1/2 in. (151.1 cm)
Width (a: shoulder to shoulder): 11 1/2 in. (29.2 cm)
Waist (a: flat): 12 in. (30.5 cm)
b: sweater
Length (b: shoulder to hem): 25 in. (63.5 cm)
Width (b: shoulder to shoulder): 26 in. (66 cm)
Waist (b: flat): 20 in. (50.8 cm)
Title
Object Name • Gold knit dress and sweater designed by Patrick Kelly
Record ID
nmaahc_2018.9.25ab
Museum
NMAAHC
Title Sort
GOLD KNIT DRESS AND SWEATER DESIGNED BY PATRICK KELLY
Source
National Museum of African American History and Culture
Metadata Usage
CC0
Date
1980s
Name
Kelly, Patrick
Place
Europe • France • Paris
Topic
Design • Black Enterprise • Clothing and dress • Fashion
Culture
African Americans
Geo Location
City • Paris • Country • France • Continent • Europe
Type
Dresses (garments) • Sweaters
Online Media Type
Images
Online Media Rights
Use Restricted

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

Soldier's Escutcheon print owned by James A. Kelly, 54th MA infantry

Date: Date

Description

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NMAAHC

Gold knit dress and sweater designed by Patrick Kelly

Date: Date

Caption

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NMAAHC

Plastic pouch and multicolored button pins by Patrick Kelly

Date: Date

Description

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NMAAHC

Denim hat with fabric flowers and metal bow designed by Patrick Kelly

Date: Date

Caption

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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.