q2K BHP
Black History Portal
THE BHP WIRE —
HIDDEN TRUTHS
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
What's New!
THE JOURNEY THROUGH TIME
BHP HOME BEFORE AMERICA 1800–1936 1937–1957 1958–1980 1981–2000 2001–PRESENT

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...

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.

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

Wild Wicked Humor

Date
1963
Owned by
Stu Gilliam, American, 1933 - 2013
Description
Wild Wicked Humor long-playing record and album cover.
2014.178.24a: Wild Wicked Humor long-playing record. Side one of the record has a paper label with type that reads: [FAX ® / RECORD COMPANY / 1008 N. FAIRFAX AVE. / HOLLYWOOD 46, CALIFORNIA / SEND FOR OUR FREE CATALOGUE / FAX-LP / 3007-A HI-FIDELITY / 40-15,000 CPS NONBREAKABLE / MICROGROOVE SIDE 1]. Below the record information and centered on the label is the title information that reads: [THE WILD AND WICKED HUMOR OF STU GILLIAM]. Around the bottom edge of the label type reads: [LONG PLAYING / MFG. AND © BY FAX RECORD CO., 1008 N. FAIRFAX AVE., HOLLYWOOD 46, CALIF.]. Side two of the record has a paper label with type that reads: [FAX ® / RECORD COMPANY / 1008 N. FAIRFAX AVE. / HOLLYWOOD 46, CALIFORNIA / SEND FOR OUR FREE CATALOGUE / FAX-LP / 3007-B HI-FIDELITY / 40-15,000 CPS NONBREAKABLE / MICROGROOVE SIDE 2]. Below the record information and centered on the label is the title information that reads: [THE WILD AND WICKED HUMOR OF STU GILLIAM]. Around the bottom edge of the label type reads: [LONG PLAYING / MFG. AND © BY FAX RECORD CO., 1008 N. FAIRFAX AVE., HOLLYWOOD 46, CALIF.].
2014.178.24b: The record cover's front side has a pink background and features Stu Gilliam on the right side of the front. Gilliam stands on a wire chair and sits on a woman's leg. The woman, stands on Gilliam's proper left side and looks at Gilliam. She has her proper left hand on his chest and her proper right arm placed on his back. She wears a white peasant blouse, black hot pants, and fishnet tights. Gilliam wears a black suit, white shirt and black bow tie. To the left of the chair, on the ground, is Gilliam's ventriloquist doll, Oscar Land, in three-quarter profile. The doll also wears a black suit, white shirt, and black tie. To the left of Gilliam is type that gives the record information. The top left corner has the FAX logo that reads [FAXLP-3007 / FAX RECORDS / A 33 1/3 RPM LONG PLAY HIGH FIDELITY RECORD ALBUM]. Underneath the logo there is a quote in black type by Redd Foxx that reads: [REDD FOXX, "Stu is great, an amazing comic talent!]]. Below the quote, outlined white and black type reads: [WILD / WICKED / HUMOR / STU / GILLIAM /RECORDED AT THE / BASIN STREET WEST]. On the back cover in the upper left quadrant is a black and white photograph of Gilliam standing on a ladder putting letters on a marque. Also featured on the back is a short biography of Gilliam, a track list, and other records available through the label FAX records.
Topic
African American
Comedy
See more items in
National Museum of African American History and Culture Collection
Classification
Record Albums
Exhibition
Taking the Stage
On View
NMAAHC (1400 Constitution Ave NW), National Mall Location, Culture/Fourth Floor, 4 054
Credit Line
Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, Gift of Vivian Gilliam in memory of Stu Gilliam
Data Source
National Museum of African American History and Culture
Object number
2014.178.24ab
Type
record covers
long-playing records
Restrictions & Rights
Unknown - Restrictions Possible
Rights assessment and proper usage is the responsibility of the user.
Medium
vinyl with paper, ink on cardboard
Dimensions
Diameter (TR2013-207.10a): 11 7/8 in. (30.2 cm)
H x W x D (TR2013-207.10b): 12 1/2 × 12 5/16 × 1/8 in. (31.8 × 31.3 × 0.3 cm)
Title
Title • Wild Wicked Humor
Record ID
nmaahc_2014.178.24ab
Museum
NMAAHC
Title Sort
WILD WICKED HUMOR
Source
National Museum of African American History and Culture
Metadata Usage
CC0
Date
1960s
Name
Gilliam, Stu
Topic
Comedy
Culture
African Americans
Exhibition
NMAAHC • Taking the Stage
Type
Phonograph records • Record covers
On Physical Exhibit
Yes
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.

No preview image
NMAAHC

Sam Gilliam - Artist - Wash D.C.

Date: Date

Description

MORE →
No preview image
NMAAHC

Blackberry, Bar and Green

Date: Date

Caption

MORE →
NMAAHC

Oscar Land

Date: Date

Description

MORE →
No preview image
NMAAHC

Wild Wicked Humor

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

Which Supreme Court case ruled state-sponsored public-school segregation unconstitutional?

Brown v. Board of Education in 1954.