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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
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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...

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.

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

Defence Select Committee

The Defence Select Committee is one of the Select Committees of the House of Commons of the United Kingdom, having been established in 1979. It examines the expenditure, administration, and policy of the Ministry of Defence and its associated public bodies,[1] including the British Armed Forces. The Committee's remit does not generally review Defence Intelligence which instead falls under the Intelligence and Security Committee of Parliament.[2]

Chairs

[edit]

Committee chairs include those listed below.[3]

Name Start End Party Constituency
John Langford-Holt 3 May 1979 20 May 1981 Conservative Shrewsbury
Cranley Onslow 20 May 1981 21 April 1982 Conservative Woking
Timothy Kitson 21 April 1982 9 June 1983 Conservative Richmond (Yorks)
Humphrey Atkins 9 June 1983 31 December 1986 Conservative Spelthorne
Michael Mates 1 January 1987 1 January 1992 Conservative East Hampshire
Nicholas Bonsor 1 January 1992 12 July 1995 Conservative Upminster
Michael Colvin 12 July 1995 21 March 1997 Conservative Romsey and Waterside
Bruce George 16 July 1997 12 July 2005 Labour Walsall South
James Arbuthnot 13 July 2005 28 April 2014 Conservative North East Hampshire
Rory Stewart 14 May 2014 12 May 2015 Conservative Penrith and The Border
Julian Lewis 18 June 2015 6 November 2019 Conservative New Forest East
Tobias Ellwood 29 January 2020 14 September 2023 Conservative Bournemouth East
Robert Courts 25 October 2023 12 December 2023 Conservative Witney
Jeremy Quin 17 January 2024 30 May 2024 Conservative Horsham
Tan Dhesi 11 September 2024 present Labour Slough

Election results

[edit]

From June 2010 chairs of select committees have been directly elected by a secret ballot of the whole House of Commons using the alternative vote system. Candidates with the fewest votes are eliminated and their votes redistributed until one remaining candidate has more than half of valid votes.[4] Elections are held at the beginning of a parliament or in the event of a vacancy.[5]

Chair Party Constituency First elected Method
Michael Mates Conservative East Hampshire 1987 Elected by the Select Committee
Michael Colvin Conservative Romsey and Waterside 1995 Elected by the Select Committee
Bruce George Labour Walsall South 16 July 1997 Elected by the Select Committee
James Arbuthnot Conservative North East Hampshire 13 July 2005 Elected by the Select Committee
(and the House of Commons in 2010)
Rory Stewart Conservative Penrith and The Border 14 May 2014 Elected by the House of Commons
Julian Lewis Conservative New Forest East 17 June 2015 Elected by the House of Commons
Tobias Ellwood Conservative Bournemouth East 29 January 2020 Elected by the House of Commons
Independent
Conservative
Robert Courts Conservative Witney 25 October 2023 Elected by the House of Commons
Jeremy Quin Conservative Horsham 17 January 2024 Elected by the House of Commons
Tan Dhesi Labour Slough 11 September 2024 Elected by the House of Commons
11 September 2024[6]
Candidate 1st round
Votes %
Tan Dhesi 320 56.8
Derek Twigg 243 43.2
Valid votes 563
17 January 2024[7]
Candidate 1st round
Votes %
Jeremy Quin 371 78.6
Rehman Chishti 101 21.4
Valid votes 472
25 October 2023[8]
Candidate 1st round
Votes %
Robert Courts 249 57.9
Sarah Atherton 142 33.0
Mark Francois 39 9.1
Valid votes 430
29 January 2020[9]
Candidate 1st round 2nd round 3rd round 4th round
Votes % Votes % Votes % Votes %
Tobias Ellwood 243 43.2 256 46.1 271 49.7 296 56.7
Sir Bernard Jenkin 173 30.8 183 33.0 193 35.4 226 43.3
Robert Courts 62 11.0 68 12.3 81 14.9 Eliminated
Adam Holloway 45 8.0 48 8.6 Eliminated
James Gray 39 6.9 Eliminated
Not redistributed 7 1.2 17 3.0 40 7.1
Valid votes 562 555 545 522
12 July 2017[10]
Candidate 1st round
Votes %
Julian Lewis 305 53.5
Johnny Mercer 265 46.5
Not redistributed
Valid votes 570
17 June 2015[11]
Candidate 1st round 2nd round
Votes % Votes %
Julian Lewis 260 44.1 314 56.5
Richard Benyon 208 35.3 242 43.5
Bob Stewart 121 20.5 Eliminated
Not redistributed 33 5.6
Valid votes 589 556
14 May 2014[12]
Candidate 1st round 2nd round 3rd round 4th round 5th round 6th round 7th round
Votes % Votes % Votes % Votes % Votes % Votes % Votes %
Rory Stewart 113 23.6 115 24.1 122 25.7 139 29.3 149 31.9 179 39.3 226 51.6
Julian Lewis 124 25.9 128 26.8 131 27.6 138 29.1 156 33.4 165 36.2 212 48.4
Julian Brazier 68 14.2 71 14.9 71 14.9 77 16.2 90 19.3 112 24.6 Eliminated
Keith Simpson 48 10.0 48 10.1 51 10.7 61 12.8 72 15.4 Eliminated
Bob Stewart 52 10.9 54 11.3 56 11.8 60 12.6 Eliminated
Crispin Blunt 44 9.2 44 9.2 44 9.3 Eliminated
Tobias Ellwood 17 3.5 17 3.6 Eliminated
James Gray 13 2.7 Eliminated
Not redistributed 2 0.4 4 0.8 4 0.8 12 2.5 23 4.8 41 8.6
Valid votes 479 477 475 475 467 456 438
9 June 2010[13]
Candidate 1st round 2nd round 3rd round
Votes % Votes % Votes %
James Arbuthnot 210 36.6 236 42.4 273 52.7
Patrick Mercer 176 30.7 189 33.9 245 47.3
Julian Lewis 115 20.1 132 23.7 Eliminated
Douglas Carswell 72 12.6 Eliminated
Not redistributed 16 2.8 55 9.6
Valid votes 573 557 518

Membership

[edit]

Members are as follows:[14]

Member Party Constituency
Tan Dhesi MP (chair) Labour Slough
Calvin Bailey MP Labour Leyton and Wanstead
Alex Baker MP Labour Aldershot
Lincoln Jopp MP Conservative Spelthorne
Emma Lewell MP Labour South Shields
Mike Martin MP Liberal Democrats Tunbridge Wells
Jesse Norman MP Conservative Hereford and South Herefordshire
Ian Roome MP Liberal Democrats North Devon
Michelle Scrogham MP Labour Barrow and Furness
Fred Thomas MP Labour Plymouth Moor View
Derek Twigg MP Labour Widnes and Halewood

2019-2024 Parliament

[edit]

The chair was elected on 29 January 2020, with the members of the committee being announced on 2 March 2020.[15][16]

Member Party Constituency
Tobias Ellwood (chair) Conservative Bournemouth East
Stuart Anderson Conservative Wolverhampton South West
Sarah Atherton Conservative Wrexham
Wayne David Labour Caerphilly
Tan Dhesi Labour Slough
Martin Docherty-Hughes Scottish National Party West Dunbartonshire
Richard Drax Conservative South Dorset
Mark Francois Conservative Rayleigh and Wickford
Emma Lewell-Buck Labour South Shields
Gavin Robinson Democratic Unionist Party Belfast East
John Spellar Labour Warley

Changes 2019-2024

[edit]
Date Outgoing Member
& Party 		Constituency → New Member
& Party 		Constituency Source
11 May 2020 Wayne David MP (Labour) Caerphilly → Kevan Jones MP (Labour) North Durham Hansard
Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi MP (Labour) Slough Derek Twigg MP (Labour) Halton
5 January 2022 Martin Docherty-Hughes MP (SNP) West Dunbartonshire → Dave Doogan MP (SNP) Angus Hansard
25 October 2022 Stuart Anderson MP (Conservative) Wolverhampton South West → Andrew Bowie MP (Conservative) West Aberdeenshire and Kincardine Hansard
Sarah Atherton MP (Conservative) Wrexham Robert Courts MP (Conservative) Witney
8 November 2022 Andrew Bowie MP (Conservative) West Aberdeenshire and Kincardine → Sarah Atherton MP (Conservative) Wrexham Hansard
12 September 2023 Dave Doogan MP (SNP) Angus → Martin Docherty-Hughes MP (SNP) West Dunbartonshire Hansard
14 September 2023 Tobias Ellwood MP (chair, Conservative) Bournemouth East → Vacant Hansard
25 October 2023 Vacant → Robert Courts MP (chair, Conservative) Witney Hansard
Robert Courts MP (Conservative) Witney → Vacant
11 December 2023 Vacant → Jesse Norman MP (Conservative) Hereford and South Herefordshire Hansard
12 December 2023 Robert Courts MP (chair, Conservative) Witney → Vacant Hansard
17 January 2024 Vacant → Jeremy Quin MP (chair, Conservative) Horsham Hansard

2017–2019 Parliament

[edit]

The chair was elected on 12 July 2017, with the members of the committee being announced on 11 September 2017.[17][18]

Member Party Constituency
Julian Lewis (chair) Conservative New Forest East
Leo Docherty Conservative Aldershot
Martin Docherty-Hughes Scottish National Party West Dunbartonshire
Mark Francois Conservative Rayleigh and Wickford
Graham Jones Labour Hyndburn
Johnny Mercer Conservative Plymouth Moor View
Madeleine Moon Labour Bridgend
Gavin Robinson Democratic Unionist Party Belfast East
Ruth Smeeth Labour Stoke-on-Trent North
John Spellar Labour Warley
Phil Wilson Labour Sedgefield

2015–2017 Parliament

[edit]

The chair was elected on 18 June 2015, with members being announced on 6 July 2015.[19][20]

Member Party Constituency
Julian Lewis (chair) Conservative New Forest East
Richard Benyon Conservative Newbury
Douglas Chapman Scottish National Party Dunfermline and West Fife
James Gray Conservative North Wiltshire
Johnny Mercer Conservative Plymouth Moor View
Madeleine Moon Labour Bridgend
Conor McGinn Labour St Helens North
Jim Shannon Democratic Unionist Party Strangford
Ruth Smeeth Labour Stoke-on-Trent North
John Spellar Labour Warley
Bob Stewart Conservative Beckenham

Changes 2015–2017

[edit]
Date Outgoing Member
& Party 		Constituency → New Member
& Party 		Constituency Source
26 October 2015 Conor McGinn MP (Labour) St Helens North → Phil Wilson MP (Labour) Sedgefield Hansard
31 October 2016 Richard Benyon MP (Conservative) Newbury → Jack Lopresti MP (Conservative) Filton and Bradley Stoke Hansard
5 December 2016 Jim Shannon MP (DUP) Strangford → Gavin Robinson MP (DUP) Belfast East Hansard

2010–2015 Parliament

[edit]

The chair was elected on 10 June 2010, with members being announced on 12 July 2010.[21][22]

Member Party Constituency
James Arbuthnot (chair) Conservative North East Hampshire
Julian Brazier Conservative Canterbury
Jeffrey Donaldson Democratic Unionist Party Lagan Valley
John Glen Conservative Salisbury
David Hamilton Labour Midlothian
Mike Hancock Liberal Democrats Portsmouth South
Adam Holloway Conservative Gravesham
Madeleine Moon Labour Bridgend
Alison Seabeck Labour Plymouth Moor View
Bob Stewart Conservative Beckenham
Gisela Stuart Labour Birmingham Edgbaston
John Woodcock Labour and Co-op Barrow and Furness

Changes 2010–2015

[edit]
Date Outgoing Member
& Party 		Constituency → New Member
& Party 		Constituency Source
2 November 2010 Adam Holloway MP (Conservative) Gravesham → Penny Mordaunt MP (Conservative) Portsmouth North Hansard
David Hamilton MP (Labour) Midlothian Thomas Docherty MP (Labour) Dunfermline and West Fife
Alison Seabeck MP (Labour) Plymouth Moor View Dai Havard MP (Labour) Merthyr Tydfil and Rhymney
John Woodcock MP (Labour and Co-op) Barrow and Furness Sandra Osborne MP (Labour) Ayr, Carrick and Cumnock
24 October 2011 Mike Hancock MP (Liberal Democrats) Portsmouth South → Bob Russell MP (Liberal Democrats) Colchester Hansard
5 November 2012 John Glen MP (Conservative) Salisbury → Adam Holloway MP (Conservative) Gravesham Hansard
10 June 2013 Sandra Osborne MP (Labour) Ayr, Carrick and Cumnock → Derek Twigg MP (Labour) Halton Hansard
4 November 2013 Penny Mordaunt MP (Conservative) Portsmouth North → James Gray MP (Conservative) North Wiltshire Hansard
25 November 2013 Thomas Docherty MP (Labour) Dunfermline and West Fife → John Woodcock MP (Labour and Co-op) Barrow and Furness Hansard
28 April 2014 James Arbuthnot MP (chair, Conservative) North East Hampshire → Vacant Hansard
14 May 2014 Vacant → Rory Stewart MP (chair, Conservative) Penrith and The Border Hansard
3 November 2014 Julian Brazier MP (Conservative) Canterbury → Richard Benyon MP (Conservative) Newbury Hansard
Adam Holloway MP (Conservative) Gravesham Julian Lewis MP (Conservative) New Forest East

See also

[edit]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ "Defence Committee". parliament.uk. Archived from the original on 29 December 2021. Retrieved 29 December 2021. The Defence Committee is appointed by the House of Commons to examine the expenditure, administration, and policy of the Ministry of Defence and its associated public bodies.
  2. ^ "Intelligence and Security Committee of Parliament". gov.uk. Retrieved 29 December 2021. The ISC oversees the policies, expenditure, administration and operations of MI5, MI6, GCHQ, Defence Intelligence, the Joint Intelligence Organisation, the National Security Secretariat (NSS) and Homeland Security Group.
  3. ^ https://committees.parliament.uk/committee/24/defence-committee/membership/former/
  4. ^ "Standing Orders of the House of Commons". Publications.parliament.uk. Retrieved 23 April 2018.
  5. ^ Priddy, Sarah. "Chairs of Commons select committees since 2010". Researchbriefings.parliament.uk. Retrieved 23 April 2018.
  6. ^ "Defence Committee Chair Election - Result Sheet" (PDF). Parliament.uk. Retrieved 7 October 2025.
  7. ^ "Defence Committee Chair Election - Result Sheet" (PDF). Parliament.uk. Retrieved 18 January 2024.
  8. ^ "Election for Chair of Defence Select Committees: Result" (PDF). Parliament.uk. Retrieved 2 December 2023.
  9. ^ "Election for Chairs of Select Committees: Result" (PDF). Parliament.uk. Retrieved 7 March 2020.
  10. ^ "Election for Chairs of Select Committees: Result" (PDF). Parliament.uk. Retrieved 23 April 2018.
  11. ^ "Election for Chairs of Select Committees: Result" (PDF). Parliament.uk. Retrieved 23 April 2018.
  12. ^ "Election for Chairs of Select Committees: Result" (PDF). Parliament.uk. Retrieved 23 April 2018.
  13. ^ "Election for Chairs of Select Committees: Result" (PDF). Parliament.uk. Archived from the original (PDF) on 13 October 2010. Retrieved 23 April 2018.
  14. ^ "Defence Committee membership appointed". committees.parliament.uk. Defence Committee. 29 October 2024. Retrieved 31 October 2024.
  15. ^ "Speaker's Statement: Select Committee Chairs". Parliamentary Debates (Hansard). Vol. 670. Parliament of the United Kingdom: House of Commons. 6 May 2020.
  16. ^ "Committees". Parliamentary Debates (Hansard). Vol. 672. Parliament of the United Kingdom: House of Commons. 2 March 2020.
  17. ^ "Speaker's Statement: Select Committee Chairs". Parliamentary Debates (Hansard). Vol. 627. Parliament of the United Kingdom: House of Commons. 12 July 2017.
  18. ^ "Business without Debate". Parliamentary Debates (Hansard). Vol. 628. Parliament of the United Kingdom: House of Commons. 11 September 2017.
  19. ^ "Speaker's Statement". Parliamentary Debates (Hansard). Vol. 597. Parliament of the United Kingdom: House of Commons. 18 June 2015.
  20. ^ "Committees". Parliamentary Debates (Hansard). Vol. 598. Parliament of the United Kingdom: House of Commons. 8 July 2015.
  21. ^ "Speaker's Statement". Parliamentary Debates (Hansard). Vol. 511. Parliament of the United Kingdom: House of Commons. 10 June 2010.
  22. ^ "Committees". Parliamentary Debates (Hansard). Vol. 513. Parliament of the United Kingdom: House of Commons. 12 July 2010.
[edit]

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Wikipedia

Defence Select Committee

The Defence Select Committee is one of the Select Committees of the House of Commons of the United Kingdom, having been established in 1979. It examines the expenditure, administration, and policy of the Ministry of Defence and its associated public bodies, including the British Armed Forces. The Committee's remit does not generally review Defence Intelligence which instead falls under the Intelligence and Security Committee of Parliament.

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Wikipedia

Ministry of Defence (United Kingdom)

The Ministry of Defence (MOD or MoD) is a ministerial department of the Government of the United Kingdom. It is responsible for implementing the defence policy set by the government and serves as the headquarters of the British Armed Forces. Its principal objectives are to defend the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and its interests, promote national interests globally and to strengthen international peace and stability. The MOD also manages day-to-day running of the armed forces, contingency planning and defence procurement. The expenditure, administration and policy of the MOD are scrutinised by the Defence Select Committee, except for Defence Intelligence which instead falls under the Intelligence and Security Committee of Parliament. The Ministry of Defence has been involved in commercial activities; an example of which is their 2025 announcement to supply Norway with warships, the UK's largest warship export deal by value.

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Wikipedia

Secretary of State for Defence

The secretary of state for defence, also known as the defence secretary, is a secretary of state in the Government of the United Kingdom, with responsibility for the Ministry of Defence. As a senior minister, the incumbent is a member of the Cabinet of the United Kingdom. The post of secretary of state for defence was created on 1 April 1964, replacing the positions of minister of defence, first lord of the admiralty, secretary of state for war, and secretary of state for air, while the individual offices of the British Armed Forces were abolished and their functions transferred to the Ministry of Defence. In 2019, Penny Mordaunt became the UK's first female defence secretary. The secretary of state is supported by the other ministers in the defence ministerial team and the MOD permanent secretary. The corresponding shadow minister is the shadow secretary of state for defence, and the secretary of state is also scrutinised by the Defence Select Committee. The current secretary of state for defence is Wes Streeting. He was appointed on 20 July 2026 following Keir Starmers' resignation.

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Wikipedia

Permanent Under-Secretary of State for Defence

The permanent under-secretary of state for defence, also called the permanent secretary to the Ministry of Defence, is the permanent secretary at the Ministry of Defence. The office holder is the government's principal civilian adviser on defence matters. The office holder is a member of the Defence Council and the Defence Board. They are the MOD principal accounting officer, and are called to give evidence to the Defence Select Committee. The position has existed in its current format since the formation of the modern Ministry of Defence in 1964. It was preceded by the permanent secretary at the earlier Ministry of Defence (1947–1964), and by the permanent secretaries at the government departments that were absorbed into the Ministry of Defence in 1964: the permanent secretary to the Admiralty, the permanent under-secretary of state for war, and the permanent secretary to the Air Ministry. The current permanent secretary for the Ministry of Defence is Jeremy Pocklington.

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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

What prosperous Tulsa district became widely known as “Black Wall Street”?

The Greenwood District.