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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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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...

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

Photograph of Kappa Alpha Psi members

Date
1937-1938
Photograph by
Dexheimer-Carlon Studios, American
Subject of
Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc., American, founded 1911
Elder Watson Diggs, American, 1883 - 1947
Irven Armstrong, American, born 1892
Theophilus M. Mann, American, 1902 - 1975
Albert Spurlock, American, born 1914
John L. Stewart, American
Owned by
John L. Stewart, American
Description
This black and white photograph depicts members of the Kappa Alpha Psi fraternity in front of the Alpha Chapter house during the North Central Province regional meeting. Arranged in three rows, the first row primarily sits along a low brick wall in front of the building. Only five men stand, located in the center of the row. The second and third row of men stand behind them. The men wear suits in a variety of styles. Each man has a rectangular ribbon on his left lapel. They stand in front of a brick building with a covered entrance porch, in front of which is a sign that reads "K A " and has a diamond shaped crest over the last letter.
Kappa Alpha Psi founder and 1st Grand Polemarch Elder Watson Diggs is in the front row center, with his arms crossed. Directly behind him is John L. Stewart. Other prominent Kappa officials pictured standing beside Elder Watson Diggs from left to right are: 4th Grand Polemarch W. Ellis Stewart, 2nd Grand Polemarch Irven Armstrong, 9th Grand Polemarch Theophilus Mann, and to Diggs’ right North Central Province Polemarch Julius Morgan standing and Grand Strategus Albert Spurlock seated.
A typed label on pink paper that was matted with the photograph reads [ALPHA CHAPTER, KAPPA ALPHA PSI / FRATERNITY HOST TO REGIONAL MEETING / INDIANA UNIVERSITY].
Place depicted
Bloomington, Monroe County, Indiana, United States, North and Central America
Topic
African American
Associations and institutions
Communities
Education
Fraternities
Men
See more items in
National Museum of African American History and Culture Collection
Classification
Photographs and Still Images
Credit Line
Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, Gift of Calvin M. Reaves, Polemarch (2012-2019), Smithfield (NC) Alumni Chapter, Middle Eastern Province
Data Source
National Museum of African American History and Culture
Object number
2018.61
Type
photographs
Restrictions & Rights
Public Domain
Proper usage is the responsibility of the user.
Medium
silver and photographic gelatin on photographic paper
Dimensions
H x W (image): 7 5/16 × 9 3/16 in. (18.5 × 23.4 cm)
H x W (sheet): 7 7/8 × 10 in. (20 × 25.4 cm)
Title
Object Name • Photograph of Kappa Alpha Psi members
Record ID
nmaahc_2018.61
Museum
NMAAHC
Title Sort
PHOTOGRAPH OF KAPPA ALPHA PSI MEMBERS
Source
National Museum of African American History and Culture
Metadata Usage
CC0
Date
1930s
Name
Mann, Theophilus M. • Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc. • Stewart, John L. • Dexheimer-Carlon Studios • Spurlock, Albert • Diggs, Elder Watson • Armstrong, Irven
Place
Monroe County • Indiana • United States • North and Central America • Bloomington
Topic
Communities • Education • Men • Associations and institutions • Fraternities
Culture
African Americans
Geo Location
City • Bloomington • County • Monroe County • State • Indiana • Country • United States • Continent • North and Central America
Type
Photographs
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

Photograph of Lucille Brown and Elder Brown among others

Date: Date

Description

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NMAAHC

Certificate of nomination from the Academy Awards issued to Lonne Elder III

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NMAAHC

Photograph of Kappa Alpha Psi members

Date: Date

Description

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NMAAHC

Dress commissioned by Amy Sherald for her portrait of Breonna Taylor

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Caption

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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 heavyweight champion was known as the “Brown Bomber”?

Joe Louis.