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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

Lensatic military field compass and pouch owned by Lt. Vernon O. Nicolls

Date
1942-1945
Manufactured by
W. & L. E. Gurley Company, American, founded 1845
Issued by
United States Army, American, founded 1775
Owned by
Lieutenant Vernon O. Nicolls, American, 1909 - 2003
Used by
758th Tank Battalion, American, 1941 - 1945
Caption
Vernon Nicolls was born in Barbados in 1909 and immigrated to the U.S. in 1915. During World War II, while living in Brooklyn, Nicolls enlisted as a Private in the Army at Fort Jay on Governor's Island, New York, in 1942. After graduating from Officer Candidate School, Lieutenant Nicolls served in Italy with the 758th Tank Battalion, the Army's first African American armored unit. He used this compass during his World War II Army service.
Description
A lensatic military field compass (2014.142.6a) with a green canvas pouch (2014.142.6b) owned by Lt. Vernon O. Nicolls. The compass (2014.142.6a) is black with a hinged cover. It unfolds into four (4) main parts: the cover, the dial, rear sight/eyepiece, and the holding ring. The holding ring is a brass loop on the back of the compass to hold the compass steady while in use. Directly in front of the holding ring is the black metal rear sight, which has a lens and an eyepiece that unfolds to a ninety (90) degree angle. The rear sight aligns with the front sight in the front cover of the compass. The front sight is a metal wire, or crosshair, running down the length of a rectangular slot. There are luminous dots above and below the slot. The dial is a black, floating circular plate. Directional markers, [W E / S], are printed in gold text on the face of the dial with a gold arrow, representing north. The dial has inner and outer scales of numbers running around the rim of the dial in white lines and numerals. The outer scale is printed in two degree increments from [2] to [64]. The inner scale is printed in ten (10) degree increments from [20] to [340] with the gold arrow printed over the ten (10) degree mark of the inner scale and pointing to [64] on the outer scale. The manufacturer’s name and information is printed in white text on the surface of the dial, [W. & L.E. GURLEY / TROY, N.Y., U.S.A.] just above the south directional marker. The dial sits in a brass rimmed holder and is covered with glass with a painted gold line that runs across the radius of the glass surface. The pouch (2014.142.6b) for the compass is roughly rectangular in shape with rounded edges. It is constructed from olive green canvas with a top zipper closure and a ball chain zipper pull. The front of the pouch is plain. The pouch has a canvas belt loop on the back and a black metal hook attached to the top of the pouch. The ball chain zipper pull has a large, round connector.
Place made
Troy, Rensselaer County, New York, United States, North and Central America
Place used
Italy, Europe
Topic
African American
Military
World War II
See more items in
National Museum of African American History and Culture Collection
Classification
Tools and Equipment
Exhibition
Double Victory: The African American Military Experience
On View
NMAAHC (1400 Constitution Ave NW), National Mall Location, Community/Third Floor, 3 053
Credit Line
Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, Gift of Kay L. Nicolls
Data Source
National Museum of African American History and Culture
Object number
2014.142.6ab
Type
compasses (direction indicators)
cases (containers)
Restrictions & Rights
No Known Copyright Restrictions
Proper usage is the responsibility of the user.
Medium
a. ink on metal and glass;
b. canvas with thread and metal
Dimensions
H x W x D (Overall): 5 1/4 × 3 1/8 × 1 1/2 in. (13.3 × 7.9 × 3.8 cm)
H x W x D (2014.142.6a compass closed): 3 3/4 × 2 1/16 × 7/8 in. (9.5 × 5.3 × 2.2 cm)
H x W x D (2014.142.6a compass opened): 6 1/8 × 2 1/16 × 2 11/16 in. (15.5 × 5.3 × 6.8 cm)
H x W x D (2014.142.6b case): 5 1/4 × 3 9/16 × 1 in. (13.3 × 9 × 2.5 cm)
Title
Object Name • Lensatic military field compass and pouch owned by Lt. Vernon O. Nicolls
Record ID
nmaahc_2014.142.6ab
Museum
NMAAHC
Title Sort
LENSATIC MILITARY FIELD COMPASS AND POUCH OWNED BY LT. VERNON O. NICOLLS
Source
National Museum of African American History and Culture
Metadata Usage
CC0
Date
1940s • 1939-1945
Name
W. & L. E. Gurley Company • United States Army • 758th Tank Battalion • Nicolls, Vernon O.
Place
New York • United States • North and Central America • Europe • Italy • Rensselaer County • Troy
Topic
WW II • Military • World War, 1939-1945
Culture
African Americans
Exhibition
NMAAHC • Double Victory: The African American Military Experience
Geo Location
City • Troy • County • Rensselaer County • State • New York • Country • United States • Continent • North and Central America • Country • Italy • Continent • Europe
Type
compasses (direction indicators) • Cases (containers)
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.

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Lensatic military field compass and pouch owned by Lt. Vernon O. Nicolls

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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 Supreme Court case ruled state-sponsored public-school segregation unconstitutional?

Brown v. Board of Education in 1954.