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THE JOURNEY THROUGH TIME

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

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Events

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

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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...

Shirley Chisholm — Unbought and Unbossed

In 1968 Shirley Chisholm became the first Black woman elected to the United States Congress. In 1972 she launched a campaign for the Democratic presidential nomination, breaking another political barrier.

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

White cotton blouse with cut and drawn embroidery

Date
early 20th century
Created by
Description
A white cotton blouse with cut and drawn embroidery. The blouse has a round neckline and three quarter length set-in sleeves. It opens in the cetner front with six shell buttons and nine buttonholes. Four pin tucks are sewn to each side of the center front opening. Cut and drawn embroidery creating overcast bars is placed at the shoulder seams, armscyes, and both sides of the button plackets. Geometric patterning created with cut and drawn embroidery is applied to the bottom exterior of each sleeve. Twelve narrow pintucks are sewn to the center back of the blouse starting at the neckline. A vertical row of cut and drawn embroidery is placed on either side of the center back extending halfway down the back of the bodice in a geometric design. Four rows of pintucks framed by two rows of wider pintucks are sewn to the top of each shoulder. The blouse is unlined, unlabeled, and entirely handsewn.
Cataloging Notes
This project received Federal support from the Smithsonian American Women’s History Initiative Pool, administered by the Smithsonian American Women’s History Museum.
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National Museum of African American History and Culture Collection
Collection title
Black Fashion Museum Collection
Classification
Clothing - Fashion and Historical
Credit Line
Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, Gift of the Black Fashion Museum founded by Lois K. Alexander-Lane
Data Source
National Museum of African American History and Culture
Object number
2007.3.648
Type
blouses
shirts
Restrictions & Rights
No known copyright restrictions
Proper usage is the responsibility of the user.
Medium
cotton and shell
Dimensions
L x W: 22 × 14 in. (55.9 × 35.6 cm)
Title
Object Name • White cotton blouse with cut and drawn embroidery
Record ID
nmaahc_2007.3.648
Museum
NMAAHC
Title Sort
WHITE COTTON BLOUSE WITH CUT AND DRAWN EMBROIDERY
Source
National Museum of African American History and Culture
Metadata Usage
CC0
Date
1800s • 1830s
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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NMAAHC

Photograph of LL Cool J with DJ Bobcat, E. Love, and Cut Creator

Date: Date

Description

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NMAAHC

White cotton blouse with cut and drawn embroidery

Date: Date

Description

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NMAAHC

Hollow-cut silhouette of Ebenezer Dickey

Date: Date

Description

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NMAAHC

Hollow-cut silhouette of member of the Dickey family, likely Samuel

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

Which heavyweight champion was known as the “Brown Bomber”?

Joe Louis.