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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

Display stand with spools of thread and needles from Mae's Millinery Shop

Date
1941-1994
Compiled by
Mae Reeves, American, 1912 - 2016
Owned by
Mae Reeves, American, 1912 - 2016
Subject of
Mae's Millinery Shop, American, 1941 - 1994
Description
Three-tiered metal stand (.1) with a lip at the front of each tier. The words "Kolor Treet" are stamped on both sides in yellow ink. A paper insert on the top back reads in black ink: "DUART KOLOR TREET Quick Find Selection Chart" and lists several colors of hair dye. The bottom of the stand is hollow and has only one of four black rubber feet remaining. The stand is accompanied by nine spools containing fibers in various forms and fibers, two empty spools, and one large sewing needle.
.2: A white pasteboard spool with the top portion torn off containing black grosgrain synthetic fiber ribbon. The loose, raw edge of the ribbon is pinned to the wound ribbon with a metal straight pin with a round white plastic head.
.3: A brown pasteboard cone containing heavy-weight black two-ply cotton thread.
.4: A metal spool with red paper ends reading "ribnray ribnray ribnray / MADE IN U.S.A." on both ends. The spool contains light pink pressed cellulose fiber tape. A metal straight pin with a white plastic head is wedged inside the spool.
.5: A brown pasteboard spool containing round purple plastic sequins strung onto purple thread.
.6: A wooden spool with a white and blue paper label on each end that reads: "225 YDS. / SIZE 50 / 100% / POLYESTER THREAD / Manufactured by / AmericanThread Co. / Stamford, Conn. 06905." The spool contains red polyester thread. A metal sewing needle and a metal straight pin with a yellow plastic head are stuck through the spooled thread.
.7: An empty wooden spool with paper labels on each end with one end reading, "COATS & CLARK'S / MERCERIZED SEWING / 100 YDS. / MADE IN U.S.A." and the other end reading, "COATS & CLARK'S / 10c / O.N.T. / 5-B / BOILFAST."
.8: An empty wooden spool with paper labels on each end with one end reading, "THE CLARK THREAD COMPANY / CLARK'S BEST SIX CORD / 12", and the other end reading, "CLARK'S / O.N.T. / SPOOL COTTON / 12".
.9: A brown pasteboard spool with blue stamped ink that reads: "PAT. 426 / RAYON SEAM BINDING / 100 YDS WOVEN EDGE / MANUFACTURED BY / LAWRENCE SCHIFF SILK MILLS" on one end. The spool contains black rayon binding tape.
.10: One metal pack needle.
.11: A brown pasteboard spool containing mauve mercerized cotton thread.
.12: A tan plastic spool containing ivory silk thread.
.13: A rolled length of pressed bast fiber in cream, red, and green braided together.
Place collected
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States, North and Central America
Topic
African American
Black Enterprise
Business
Millinery
Women
See more items in
National Museum of African American History and Culture Collection
Collection title
Mae's Millinery Shop Collection
Classification
Tools and Equipment
Credit Line
Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, Gift from Mae Reeves and her children, Donna Limerick and William Mincey, Jr.
Data Source
National Museum of African American History and Culture
Object number
2010.6.127.1-.13
Type
spools
showcases
needles
Restrictions & Rights
No Known Copyright Restrictions
Proper usage is the responsibility of the user.
Medium
metal, thread, wood, pasteboard, and plastic
Dimensions
H x W x D (2010.6.127.1): 11 1/8 x 11 3/8 x 12 1/4 in. (28.3 x 28.9 x 31.1 cm)
H x W x D (2010.6.127.2): 5/8 x 4 5/8 x 4 5/8 in. (1.6 x 11.7 x 11.7 cm)
H x W x D (2010.6.127.3): 6 1/8 x 4 1/4 x 4 1/4 in. (15.6 x 10.8 x 10.8 cm)
H x W x D (2010.6.127.4): 4 5/8 × 3 1/2 × 3 1/2 in. (11.7 × 8.9 × 8.9 cm)
H x W x D (2010.6.127.5): 3 3/8 x 4 1/2 x 4 1/2 in. (8.6 x 11.4 x 11.4 cm)
H x W x D (2010.6.127.6): 1 13/16 x 1 3/4 x 1 5/8 in. (4.6 x 4.4 x 4.1 cm)
H x W x D (2010.6.127.7): 1 5/16 x 1 x 1 in. (3.3 x 2.5 x 2.5 cm)
H x W x D (2010.6.127.8): 1 3/8 x 1 x 1 in. (3.5 x 2.5 x 2.5 cm)
H x W x D (2010.6.127.9): 1 3/4 x 4 1/8 x 4 1/8 in. (4.4 x 10.5 x 10.5 cm)
H x W x D (2010.6.127.10): 3 1/4 x 1/4 x 1/4 in. (8.3 x 0.6 x 0.6 cm)
H x W x D (2010.6.127.11): 2 11/16 x 1 3/4 x 1 3/4 in. (6.8 x 4.4 x 4.4 cm)
H x W x D (2010.6.127.12): 3 x 1 7/8 x 1 7/8 in. (7.6 x 4.8 x 4.8 cm)
H x W x D (2010.6.127.13): 1 1/4 x 3 1/2 x 3 1/2 in. (3.2 x 8.9 x 8.9 cm)
Title
Object Name • Display stand with spools of thread and needles from Mae's Millinery Shop
Record ID
nmaahc_2010.6.127.1-.13
Museum
NMAAHC
Title Sort
DISPLAY STAND WITH SPOOLS OF THREAD AND NEEDLES FROM MAE'S MILLINERY SHOP
Source
National Museum of African American History and Culture
Metadata Usage
CC0
Date
1940s • 1990s
Name
Mae's Millinery Shop • Reeves, Mae
Place
United States • North and Central America • Philadelphia • Pennsylvania
Topic
Women • Black Enterprise • Millinery • Business
Culture
African Americans
Geo Location
City • Philadelphia • State • Pennsylvania • Country • United States • Continent • North and Central America
Type
Spools • Needles (piercing tools) • showcases
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.

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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 heavyweight champion was known as the “Brown Bomber”?

Joe Louis.