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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...

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

Blue and green iridescent hat with leather hat band

Date
1960s
Description
A blue and green iridescent hat with a leather hat band. The hat is constructed from wool fur felt that has been blocked into shape. The green underside of the hat has no pile, while the outside of the hat has a blue pile with green iridescence. The crown of the hat is rounded and has a flat top, with an approximate 4” height. The brim extends from 3.5” at the center front and 2.75” at the center back. A metal wire is encased along the edge of the brim, under the felt, for added shaping. The felt folded over the wire is secured with three rows of top stitching. A 2.5” wide blue rayon Petersham hatband is wrapped around the outside of the crown. A decorative loop made of a vertically placed 1.5” wide blue Petersham ribbon and a .5” wide strip of blue leather layered over top is adhered on the proper right side of the hat. The decorative loop, the Petersham ribbon, and the leather band are all secured to the hat with adhesive. A 1” green cotton/synthetic Petersham ribbon is sewn along the inner bottom edge. A label printed on the interior crown reads [NORICA / MELANGE / BLEND – FELT / 90% WOOL – 10% FUR / HENRY POLLACK, INC. NEW YORK] in light blue and white text. A union label attached at the inner center back band reads [967812] in black text.
Cataloging Notes
This project received Federal support from the Smithsonian American Women’s History Initiative Pool, administered by the Smithsonian American Women’s History Museum.
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National Museum of African American History and Culture Collection
Collection title
Black Fashion Museum Collection
Classification
Clothing - Fashion and Historical
Credit Line
Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, Gift of the Black Fashion Museum founded by Lois K. Alexander-Lane
Data Source
National Museum of African American History and Culture
Object number
2007.3.530
Type
hats
Restrictions & Rights
No known copyright restrictions
Proper usage is the responsibility of the user.
Medium
wool felt, leather, rayon petersham ribbon, and adhesive
Dimensions
H x W x D: 3 3/4 × 11 1/2 × 12 × 19 1/2 in. (9.5 × 29.2 × 30.5 × 49.5 cm)
Title
Object Name • Blue and green iridescent hat with leather hat band
Record ID
nmaahc_2007.3.530
Museum
NMAAHC
Title Sort
BLUE AND GREEN IRIDESCENT HAT WITH LEATHER HAT BAND
Source
National Museum of African American History and Culture
Metadata Usage
CC0
Date
1960s
Type
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.

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Ideas for Black Studies: The Morgan State College Program

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NMAAHC

Blue and green iridescent hat with leather hat band

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Indoor portrait of a woman, Mary Dell Morgan, with paratrooper jacket

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Studio Portrait of a Man Sitting, William Green, Jr.

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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.