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...

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.

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

Land deed for property in West Virginia owned by the Crawford family

Date
February 7, 1903
Owned by
James T. Crawford, American, 1857 - 1943
Subject of
James T. Crawford, American, 1857 - 1943
W. C. Smith, American, born 1870
Signed by
James L. Johnson, American, born 1849
Linnie T. Johnson, American, 1856 - 1934
William Grafton, American, born 1868
John H. Duncan, American, born 1869
Description
A land deed for property in Fayette County, West Virginia owned by the Crawford family. The quarter-folded document has handwritten and pre-typed lithographed fields. When folded the front of the document reads:
[Pd 2.00
DEED.
J. L Johnson and Linnie T. Johnson
TO
W.C. Smith and James Crawford
Dated February 7 1903
Received for Record this 26th
Day of February 1903
William Grafton
Clerk.
Recorded in Deed Book
No 26, page 272
Blanks of all kinds for sale at the Journal Office, Fayetteville, W. Va.
C + J]
The interior page one reads: [This Deed, Made this 7th day of February 1903 between J L Johnson and Linnie T Johnson his wife of the County of Fayette and state of West Virginia of the first part, and W. C. Smith and James Crawford of the same county and state of the second part:
Witnesseth, That the said parties of the first part, for and in consideration of the sum of One Hundred ($100.00) Dollars cash in hand paid the receipt of which is hereby acknowledged. ~~~~~~~~~~
Do__ Grant unto the parties of the second part the said W. C. Smith and James Crawford, the surface and surface only (the mineral having heretofore been sold) in and the following described lot or parcel of land known as Lot No. 25 on the same lying and being on the waters of Wolf Creek, in Fayetteville District Fayette County West Virginia and bounded and described as follows: Beginning at a stone on the edge of Main Street and Corner to Lot No. 23 and with Lot No. 23 S. 70 W. 180 feet to a stone in line of J. W. Davis and with Davis S. 20 E. 19 feet to a stone in the edge of the Railroad Survey and with said survey S. 89 E. 190 feet to a stone in the edge of Main Street and with Main Street N. 20 W. 80 feet to the beginning containing about one fourth (1/4) acre.]
The second interior page records the signatures of James L. Johnson and Linnie T. Johnson. The third interior page records the signatures of the Notary Public and the Fayette County Clerk.
Place made
Hill Top, Fayette County, West Virginia, United States, North and Central America
Topic
African American
American South
Emancipation
Families
Housing
Law
Rural life
U.S. History, 1865-1921
See more items in
National Museum of African American History and Culture Collection
Classification
Slavery and Freedom Objects
Documents and Manuscripts
Exhibition
Slavery and Freedom
On View
NMAAHC (1400 Constitution Ave NW), National Mall Location, Concourse 3, C3 053
Credit Line
Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, Gift of Karen Crawford and the Crawford Family (including Philip, Anthony, Gregory and Rosalind)
Data Source
National Museum of African American History and Culture
Object number
2017.93
Type
deeds
Restrictions & Rights
Public domain
Proper usage is the responsibility of the user.
Medium
ink on paper
Dimensions
H x W (Unfolded): 13 3/4 × 8 1/2 in. (34.9 × 21.6 cm)
H x W (closed): 8 1/2 × 3 9/16 in. (21.6 × 9 cm)
Title
Object Name • Land deed for property in West Virginia owned by the Crawford family
Record ID
nmaahc_2017.93
Museum
NMAAHC
Title Sort
LAND DEED FOR PROPERTY IN WEST VIRGINIA OWNED BY THE CRAWFORD FAMILY
Source
National Museum of African American History and Culture
Metadata Usage
CC0
Date
1900s
Name
Crawford, James T. • Johnson, Linnie T. • Duncan, John H. • Grafton, William • Smith, W. C. • Johnson, James L.
Place
West Virginia • United States • Hill Top • North and Central America • Fayette County
Topic
U.S. History, 1865-1921 • Rural life • American South • Law • Family • Emancipation • Housing
Culture
African Americans
Exhibition
NMAAHC • Slavery and Freedom
Geo Location
City • Hill Top • County • Fayette County • State • West Virginia • Country • United States • Continent • North and Central America
Type
Deeds
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

The Black Soldier or the Colored Boys of the United States Army

Date: Date

Caption

MORE →
NMAAHC

Deed of sale for an enslaved man named Pierre

Date: Date

Description

MORE →
NMAAHC

Deed of sale for an enslaved woman named Cassey

Date: Date

Description

MORE →
NMAAHC

Land deed for property in West Virginia owned by the Crawford family

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.

MORE →
TRIVIA QUESTION OF THE DAY

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

Joe Louis.