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...

Ruler of the Mali Empire in the 14th century

Mansa Musa was the ruler of the Mali Empire in West Africa. Details recorded here should be sourced; unknown information is left blank.

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

Electrical hot comb heater and hot comb

Date
1920s
Manufactured by
Solar Electric Manufacturing Co., American
Used by
Edna Stevens McIntyre, American, 1917 - 2017
Caption
The items in this collection belonged to Edna Stevens McIntyre (May 22, 1917-). She was born in Washington, DC but relocated to Duquesne, PA at the age of 7 or 8 after her mother died. She was raised by a paternal aunt, Ida Stevens Johnson. Edna McIntyre is the aunt of the donor, Linda Crichlow White.
Description
An electric hot comb heater with a hot comb. The hot comb heater (48a) has a cylindrically-shaped body, with a stainless steel exterior and ceramic insulating tube interior. Hot combs are placed inside the central ceramic tube to be heated for use. The heater is bolted to a black-painted steel base. On one of the short ends of the base is a toggle switch with "OFF" to the left and "ON" to the right. On the opposite short end from the toggle switch is a cloth-covered electrical cord that extends out of the base. There are stainless steel rests along both of the long ends of the heater body, which provide spaces for additional hot combs to be placed. There is a stainless steel foot above the toggle switch that provides stability for the handle of the hot comb that is being heated in the interior. The center of the top of the heating element is imprinted with a logo reading "SOLAR". A metal plaque has been attached to the metal base with grommets, reading “SOLAR ELECTRIC MFG CO. / SAN FRANSISCO, CA / MADE IN U.S.A. 2AMPS 115 VOLTS SERIAL NO. 337094”. A paper board is inserted into the bottom of the metal base.
The hot comb (48b) is a brass colored metal comb with black wooden handle. The handle has the initials “E. S. M.” carved into one side.
Place used
United States, North and Central America
Topic
African American
Hair
Women
See more items in
National Museum of African American History and Culture Collection
Classification
Accessories and Personal Effects
Exhibition
Cultural Expressions
On View
NMAAHC (1400 Constitution Ave NW), National Mall Location, Culture/Fourth Floor, 4 050
Credit Line
Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, Gift of Linda Crichlow White in honor of her aunt, Edna Stevens McIntyre
Data Source
National Museum of African American History and Culture
Object number
2011.59.48ab
Type
equipment
Restrictions & Rights
No Known Copyright Restrictions
Proper usage is the responsibility of the user.
Medium
metal, ceramic, wood, plastic and cloth
Dimensions
a - Heater (with cord coiled at side): 4 1/2 × 9 3/4 × 13 in. (11.4 × 24.8 × 33 cm)
a - Heater (with cord wrapped around it): 4 3/4 × 5 11/16 × 8 in. (12.1 × 14.4 × 20.3 cm)
a - Heater (without cord): 4 3/4 × 5 3/16 × 7 3/8 in. (12.1 × 13.2 × 18.7 cm)
a - cord outstretched (just cord): 7/8 × 60 7/8 × 1 in. (2.2 × 154.6 × 2.5 cm)
b - comb: 3/4 × 7 3/16 × 1 1/4 in. (1.9 × 18.3 × 3.2 cm)
Title
Object Name • Electrical hot comb heater and hot comb
Record ID
nmaahc_2011.59.48ab
Museum
NMAAHC
Title Sort
ELECTRICAL HOT COMB HEATER AND HOT COMB
Source
National Museum of African American History and Culture
Metadata Usage
CC0
Date
1920s
Name
Solar Electric Manufacturing Co. • McIntyre, Edna Stevens
Place
United States • North and Central America
Topic
Hair • Women
Culture
African Americans
Exhibition
NMAAHC • Cultural Expressions
Geo Location
Country • United States • Continent • North and Central America
Type
Equipment
On Physical Exhibit
Yes
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.

No preview image
NMAAHC

Photograph of Sean Combs and his son, Christian Casey Combs

Date: Date

Description

MORE →
No preview image
NMAAHC

Photograph of Sean "Puffy" Combs and Biggie Smalls at The Source Awards

Date: Date

Description

MORE →
NMAAHC

Hot comb from a travel hair care kit used by Anna Mae Queen Holmes

Date: Date

Description

MORE →
NMAAHC

Electrical hot comb heater and hot comb

Date: Date

Caption

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

Who became the first Black woman to travel into space?

Mae Jemison, aboard Space Shuttle Endeavour in 1992.