q2K BHP
Black History Portal
THE BHP WIRE —
HIDDEN TRUTHS
What's New!
THE JOURNEY THROUGH TIME

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...

The Violence That Helped Spark the NAACP

In August 1908, a white mob attacked Springfield, Illinois’s Black community, destroying homes and businesses and lynching two Black men. National outrage over the violence helped spur the movement that created the NAACP the following year.

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

M1917 Revolver issued by US Army during WWI to Charles H. Houston

Date
January 1918
Description
Colt Model 1917 Revolver .45 ACP (Automatic Colt Pistol) No 22-883 issued by the United States Army to Charles Hamilton Houston during World War I. The gun is comprised of metal with wood applied to the handle. The revolver has a six-round cylinder that is semi-removable so bullets can be loaded. There are multiple manufacturer's notes throughout the barrel and frame. On the left of the barrel, text reads [COLT D.A. 45]. On top of the barrel is the manufacture's information, [COLT’S PT FA MFG CO. HARTFORD, CT U.S.A. / PAT’D AUG. 5, 1884 JUNE 6 1900 JULY 4 1905]. On the left side of the frame, at the top next to the hammer are the letters [GHS] in a circle. Below the hammer on the frame is a horse standing on its hind legs with two spears. The bottom of the grip has a circular hinge with a cylinder shaped metal. Surrounding the hinge are the words, [U.S. / ARMY / MODEL / 1917 / N° / 22 / 883].
Place used
See more items in
National Museum of African American History and Culture Collection
Classification
Weapons and Ammunition
Credit Line
Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, Gift of Charles Hamilton Houston, Jr. and Dr. Rosemary Jagus
Data Source
National Museum of African American History and Culture
Object number
2018.59.3
Type
pistols
Restrictions & Rights
No Known Copyright Restrictions
Proper usage is the responsibility of the user.
Medium
metal and wood
Dimensions
H x W x D: 5 1/2 × 11 1/4 × 1 1/2 in. (14 × 28.6 × 3.8 cm)
Title
Object Name • M1917 Revolver issued by US Army during WWI to Charles H. Houston
Record ID
nmaahc_2018.59.3
Museum
NMAAHC
Title Sort
M1917 REVOLVER ISSUED BY US ARMY DURING WWI TO CHARLES H. HOUSTON
Source
National Museum of African American History and Culture
Metadata Usage
CC0
Date
1910s • 1914-1918
Geo Location
City • Hartford • State • Connecticut • Country • United States • Continent • North and Central America • Country • France • Continent • Europe
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.

NMAAHC

Model 1860 Army revolver by Colt

Date: Date

Caption

MORE →
NMAAHC

Cartridge pouch for a Colt M1896 (0.38-caliber) revolver

Date: Date

Description

MORE →
NMAAHC

M1917 Revolver issued by US Army during WWI to Charles H. Houston

Date: Date

Description

MORE →
No preview image
NMAAHC

Pinback button protesting apartheid and economic investment in South Africa

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

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

The Greenwood District.