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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
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THE JOURNEY THROUGH TIME
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Explore Black History

Explore the people, places, events, achievements, struggles and stories that shaped our journey.

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Meet the people whose lives, choices and achievements shaped the journey.

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Events

Moments that changed communities, movements, institutions and the nation.

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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

Red and yellow dress worn by Janet Jackson as Penny Woods on Good Times

Date
December 1977
Designed by
Rita Riggs, American, born 1930
Manufactured by
Sears, Roebuck & Co., American, founded 1893
Worn by
Janet Jackson, American, born 1966
Description
Red and yellow dress worn by Janet Jackson as the character Millicent "Penny" Gordon Woods on the television show "Good Times." The dress is made to appear as two separate pieces - a yellow long-sleeved shirt with a high ruffled collar under a red floral-printed jumper - though they are attached as one item. The sleeves are loose and gathered at the cuff with elastic. A decorative band of thin blue rickrack, red floral print cotton matching the jumper, and yellow cutwork embroidered trim with a scalloped edge is sewn around each sleeve between the elbow and the cuff. The same blue rickrack and yellow trim is sewn around the edge of the jumper sleeves on the upper bodice. There are three (3) small black plastic buttons sewn at the center front chest for decoration. The jumper is made of a red cotton printed in a small floral design of yellow and dark blue flowers with green leaves and stems. It has a smocked lower bodice and a full skirt that ends above the knee. A band of the blue rickrack and the yellow trim is sewn around the skirt approximately 7 1/2 inches above the hem. The garment closes at the center back with a red zipper and it is not lined. A white clothing tag with green printed text is sewn at the center back interior neck that reads: "REGULAR 12 / MACHINE WASH WARM / TUMBLE DRY / SEARS, ROEBUCK AND CO.".
Place used
United States, North and Central America
Topic
African American
Actors
Children
Clothing and dress
Comedy
Costume
Costume design
Design
Families
Sitcoms
See more items in
National Museum of African American History and Culture Collection
Classification
Clothing - Costume
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
Data Source
National Museum of African American History and Culture
Object number
2014.26.3
Type
dresses
Restrictions & Rights
No Known Copyright Restrictions
Proper usage is the responsibility of the user.
Medium
cotton, trimming, elastic, metal zipper, and plastic buttons
Dimensions
H x W x D (On form): 31 1/2 × 19 1/2 × 13 1/4 in. (80 × 49.5 × 33.7 cm)
Title
Object Name • Red and yellow dress worn by Janet Jackson as Penny Woods on Good Times
Record ID
nmaahc_2014.26.3
Museum
NMAAHC
Title Sort
RED AND YELLOW DRESS WORN BY JANET JACKSON AS PENNY WOODS ON GOOD TIMES
Source
National Museum of African American History and Culture
Metadata Usage
CC0
Date
1970s
Name
Sears, Roebuck & Co. • Riggs, Rita • Jackson, Janet
Place
United States • North and Central America
Topic
Design • Sitcoms • Actors and actresses • Costume • Clothing and dress • Family • Comedy • Children
Culture
African Americans
Exhibition
NMAAHC • Taking the Stage
Geo Location
Country • United States • Continent • North and Central America
Type
Dresses (garments)
On Physical Exhibit
Yes
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

Denim bucket hat worn by Jimmie Walker as J.J. Evans on Good Times

Date: Date

Description

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NMAAHC

Red and yellow dress worn by Janet Jackson as Penny Woods on Good Times

Date: Date

Description

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No preview image
NMAAHC

Orange dress worn by Esther Rolle as Florida Evans on Good Times

Date: Date

Description

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NMAAHC

Garlic is as Good as Ten Mothers

Date: Date

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 Black woman became the first elected to the United States Congress?

Shirley Chisholm, elected in 1968.