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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...

Wilmington 1898 — An American Coup

Wilmington, North Carolina once had a thriving Black middle class and an elected interracial government. In 1898 white supremacists used violence to overthrow that government, kill Black residents and drive many others from the city.

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

Carte-de-visite portrait of Samuel Ely

Date
1862-1869
Photograph by
Henry C. Phillips, American, 1843 - 1911
Subject of
Samuel S. Ely, American, 1836 - 1898
Owned by
Emily Howland, American, 1827 - 1929
Description
Carte-de-visite of Samuel Ely shown in three-quarter portrait. Ely is seated with his body facing the camera, but his head is turned one quarter to his right and he looks off camera. His hair is parted on the left side and combed smooth to just above his ears and he has a full beard and mustache. His cheeks are tinted pink. Ely wears a dark coat with velvet collar, white shirt, dark bowtie, dark vest, and light pants. A watch chain is visible hanging from his vest buttons. His left elbow is propped on the arm of the chair he sits in white his right hand rests on his right thigh. The bottom portion of the image is purposefully faded in the popular style of the time.
Handwritten in graphite at the bottom of the print is the name "Samuel Ely". Handwritten in graphite on the back of the photograph is "Sam. S. Ely. / Wisconsin". Printed on the back of the photograph is a mark for H.C. Phillips with the number "8664" written in.
The photograph is housed in the album 2017.30. The album page has a triple-lined, gold border framing the print. Handwritten in graphite at the bottom of the print is the name "Samuel Ely". Handwritten in graphite on the back of the photograph is "Sam. S. Ely. / Wisconsin". Printed on the back of the photograph is a mark for H.C. Phillips with "8664" handwritten in.
Place made
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States, North and Central America
Topic
African American
Antislavery
Military
Photography
Reconstruction, U.S. History, 1865-1877
U.S. History, Civil War, 1861-1865
See more items in
National Museum of African American History and Culture Collection
Collection title
Emily Howland Photograph Album
Classification
Slavery and Freedom Objects
Photographs and Still Images
Credit Line
Collection of the National Museum of African American History and Culture shared with the Library of Congress
Data Source
National Museum of African American History and Culture
Object number
2017.30.5
Type
cartes-de-visite
albumen prints
portraits
Restrictions & Rights
Public domain
Proper usage is the responsibility of the user.
Medium
albumen and silver on photographic paper on card mount
Dimensions
H x W (Image): 3 9/16 × 2 5/16 in. (9.1 × 5.8 cm)
H x W (Image and Mount): 4 × 2 7/16 in. (10.2 × 6.2 cm)
Title
Object Name • Carte-de-visite portrait of Samuel Ely
Record ID
nmaahc_2017.30.5
Museum
NMAAHC
Title Sort
CARTE-DE-VISITE PORTRAIT OF SAMUEL ELY
Source
National Museum of African American History and Culture
Metadata Usage
CC0
Date
1860s
Name
Howland, Emily • Phillips, Henry C. • Ely, Samuel S.
Place
United States • North and Central America • Philadelphia • Pennsylvania
Topic
Photography • U.S. History, Civil War, 1861-1865 • Reconstruction, U.S. History, 1865-1877 • Antislavery • Military
Culture
African Americans
Geo Location
City • Philadelphia • State • Pennsylvania • Country • United States • Continent • North and Central America
Type
Portraits • Photographs • Visiting cards
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

Carte-de-visite portrait of Samuel Ely

Date: Date

Description

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No preview image
NMAAHC

Studio Portrait of Rev. Ely Young, Sr. Sitting, Diptych

Date: Date

Description

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No preview image
NMAAHC

Studio Portrait of Rev. Ely Young, Sr. Sitting, Diptych

Date: Date

Description

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No preview image
NMAAHC

Studio Portrait of Rev. Ely Young, Sr. Sitting, Diptych

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 was the first African-American woman millionaire in the United States?

Madam C.J. Walker