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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

Black velvet and gold lamé dress with stars designed by Peter Davy

Date
1980s
Description
A black velvet dress with a gold lamé and black velvet skirt designed by Peter Davy. The bodice has a sweetheart front and scooped back neckline and full-length gigot sleeves. The waistline sits at the natural hip. The floor-length skirt is gathered at the waistline and is made from a gold lamé and black velvet star patterned fabric. An oversized bow made from the black velvet is sewn at the back below the waistline, with the center of the bow at the center back, the upper sides of each bow sewn to the side seams of the skirt at the waistline, and the lower sides of each bow left loose. The dress closes at the center back with a black metal and plastic zipper.
The bodice of the dress is lined in black synthetic fabric. Boning is sewn between the facing and the lining at each front side bust. Two (2) strips of self-adhesive male halves of Velcro are sewn at the back interior bodice, one at each side below the neckline. Black hanger loops are sewn at each interior shoulder seam next to black shoulder pads. Black synthetic net is gathered and sewn at the interior of the pouf portion of the sleeves. The bow at the back skirt has several layers of black net sewn on the underside. The skirt has an attached petticoat made from pale yellow synthetic net. A white fabric label with black printed text is sewn at the interior proper right back bodice that reads, "An Original / by / Peter Davy" with three (3) black diamonds down the proper left side of the label.
See more items in
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
2007.3.78
Type
dresses
Restrictions & Rights
No Known Copyright Restrictions
Proper usage is the responsibility of the user.
Medium
velvet, lamé, synthetic fiber, and synthetic net, with metal and plastic zipper
Dimensions
H x W x D (flat): 60 × 38 × 6 1/2 in. (152.4 × 96.5 × 16.5 cm)
Title
Object Name • Black velvet and gold lamé dress with stars designed by Peter Davy
Record ID
nmaahc_2007.3.78
Museum
NMAAHC
Title Sort
BLACK VELVET AND GOLD LAMÉ DRESS WITH STARS DESIGNED BY PETER DAVY
Source
National Museum of African American History and Culture
Metadata Usage
CC0
Date
1980s
Geo Location
City • New York City • State • New York • Country • United States • Continent • North and Central America
Online Media Rights
No Known Copyright Restrictions

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

Black velvet and silver lamé dress with silver bows designed by Peter Davy

Date: Date

Description

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NMAAHC

Black dress with bronze lamé details designed by Peter Davy

Date: Date

Description

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NMAAHC

Black lace dress with rainbow ribbon embellishments designed by Peter Davy

Date: Date

Description

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NMAAHC

Black velvet and gold lamé dress with stars designed by Peter Davy

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.

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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.