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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 Danielle Spencer and Ernest Thomas on set of What's Happening Now!

Date
1985-1988
Subject of
Unidentified
Danielle Spencer, American, 1965 - 2025
Ernest Thomas, American, born 1950
Description
Black and white photograph of Danielle Spencer and Ernest Thomas from the set of What’s Happening Now!
The photograph is horizontally rectangular in shape. The photograph depicts Danielle Spencer in the center. She is wearing a long sleeve blouse and a skirt with a tie at the waist. She is wearing hoop earrings and several long, beaded necklaces. Her arms are down by her sides, and she is turned slightly towards the proper left side of the image. She has short, curly hair. She is looking at Ernest Thomas. Thomas is on the proper left side of the image and is turned towards the proper right side. He is wearing dark glasses and a plaid robe. His proper left arm is bent, with his hand resting on his hip. There is a ring on his left ring finger. There is a banner hanging up in the background. It reads [WELCOME HOME DEE]. There is a couch in the foreground. The background features a chair, shelves with books, wall décor, several different types of wallpaper, plants, and picture frames. There is black handwriting in the bottom proper right corner. It reads [RO]. The image was signed by Danielle Spencer in black ink at the bottom center.
There is a white border around the image. It is thicker on the top and bottom and thinner on the two sides. The back of the photograph is blank. There is a diagonal crease on the photo paper.
Place depicted
United States, North and Central America
Topic
African American
Actors
Comedy
Families
Photography
Sitcoms
Television
Youth
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 Dr. Danielle Spencer
Data Source
National Museum of African American History and Culture
Object number
2014.111.3.2
Type
gelatin silver prints
Restrictions & Rights
Unknown – Restrictions Possible
Rights assessment and proper usage is the responsibility of the user.
Medium
silver and photographic gelatin on photographic paper with ink
Dimensions
H x W (sheet): 8 × 10 in. (20.3 × 25.4 cm)
H x W (image): 6 1/4 × 9 1/4 in. (15.9 × 23.5 cm)
Title
Object Name • Photograph of Danielle Spencer and Ernest Thomas on set of What's Happening Now!
Record ID
nmaahc_2014.111.3.2
Museum
NMAAHC
Title Sort
PHOTOGRAPH OF DANIELLE SPENCER AND ERNEST THOMAS ON SET OF WHAT'S HAPPENING NOW!
Source
National Museum of African American History and Culture
Metadata Usage
CC0
Date
1980s
Name
Thomas, Ernest • Spencer, Danielle
Place
United States • North and Central America
Topic
Photography • Sitcoms • Television • Actors and actresses • Family • Youth • Comedy
Culture
African Americans
Geo Location
Country • United States • Continent • North and Central America
Type
Photographs
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.

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NMAAHC

Photograph of Danielle Spencer and Ernest Thomas on set of What's Happening Now!

Date: Date

Description

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NMAAHC

Photograph of Ernest Thomas, Mabel King, and Danielle Spencer on set

Date: Date

Description

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NMAAHC

Thomas Fletcher playing Charles "CJ" Griffin

Date: Date

Description

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NMAAHC

Photograph of Thomas W. Holmes and family

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

Which heavyweight champion was known as the “Brown Bomber”?

Joe Louis.