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THE JOURNEY THROUGH TIME

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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...

Katherine Johnson — Mathematics to the Moon

Katherine Johnson’s mathematical calculations helped guide some of America’s most important early space missions while she confronted the racial and gender barriers faced by Black women in twentieth-century America.

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

Five Plays by Ed Bullins

Date
1969
Description
A first edition, hardcover book with dust jacket, Five Plays by Ed Bullins. The dust jacket features a full-page black-and-white photograph of Ed Bullins in front of the New Lafayette Theater. Bullins is seen from the waist up, facing the camera, wearing a black long sleeve shirt, unbuttoned at the neck. He is also wearing a thick, chain with large pendant around his neck. Behind his proper left shoulder is the sign for the theater with a black and white stylized face above black text that reads [THE NeW / LaFaYeTTE / THEaTRe]. Behind his proper right shoulder is a pair of glass doors. The lower half of the cover features the book title in red stylized text written over Bullin's shirt, [FIVE PLAYS / BY ED / BULLINS]. Along the bottom edge of the front cover in white text is [WINNER OF THE 1968 VERNON RICE AWARD]. The spine of the dust jacket is white with black, narrow, text [FIVE PLAYS BY ED BULLINS / BOBBS-MERRILL]. The back cover of the dust jacket is white with black text that features two Bullins’ play reviews by Library Journal and Publisher’s Weekly. The interior front and back flaps of the dust jacket feature a review of Bullins’ plays and short biography written by Black Theatre. The book has a black cloth binding. The exterior spine of the book is embossed with metallic red text that spans the entire length of the spine, [FIVE PLAYS BY ED BULLINS / BOBBS-MERRILL]. Both the front and back covers of the book are blank. The book features five plays include Goin’ a Buffalo; In the Wine Time; A Son, Come Home; The Electronic Nigger; Clara’s Ole Man. The title pages for each play are preceded by a black-and-white image from a live performance of that play. The book is two hundred and eighty-two (282) pages long. There are inscriptions in ink and pencil on the front free endpaper.
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National Museum of African American History and Culture Collection
Classification
Books and Published Materials
Movement
BAM (Black Arts Movement 1965-1976)
Credit Line
Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, Gift of Kathleen M. Kendrick
Data Source
National Museum of African American History and Culture
Object number
2015.64.5
Type
hardcover books
Restrictions & Rights
Unknown - Restrictions Possible
Rights assessment and proper usage is the responsibility of the user.
Medium
ink on paper with cloth, cardboard and pressure-sensitive tape
Dimensions
H x W x D: 8 1/2 × 5 13/16 × 1 3/16 in. (21.6 × 14.8 × 3 cm)
Title
Title • Five Plays by Ed Bullins
Record ID
nmaahc_2015.64.5
Museum
NMAAHC
Title Sort
FIVE PLAYS BY ED BULLINS
Source
National Museum of African American History and Culture
Metadata Usage
CC0
Date
1960s
Online Media Type
Images
Online Media Rights
Unknown - Restrictions Possible

Source: National Museum of African American History and Culture, Smithsonian Institution. Rights and restrictions shown above are supplied by the Smithsonian record.

NMAAHC

Flier for “Dynasty Jam Boogie” designed by Eddie Ed

Date: Date

Description

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NMAAHC

Flier for Hot 97's morning show with Ed Lover, Doctor Dré, and Lisa Glasberg

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NMAAHC

Five Plays by Ed Bullins

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Description

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NMAAHC

Little Ed Williams, 1992

Date: Date

Description

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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

Who became the first Black woman to travel into space?

Mae Jemison, aboard Space Shuttle Endeavour in 1992.