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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...

The Violence That Helped Spark the NAACP

In August 1908, a white mob attacked Springfield, Illinois’s Black community, destroying homes and businesses and lynching two Black men. National outrage over the violence helped spur the movement that created the NAACP the following year.

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

Bootsy Collins Space Bass guitar owned by Bootsy Collins

Date
July 2002
Manufactured by
Washburn Guitars, American, founded 1883
G&G Quality Case Co., American, founded 1978
Owned by
Bootsy Collins, American, born 1951
Description
A limited edition, Bootsy Collins Space Bass from Washburn Guitars (2015.234.1.1) owned by Bootsy Collins. This is a four-stringed electric bass guitar with an asymmetrical star shaped body modeled from Bootsy Collin's Space Bass guitar. The guitar is decorated with silver and red crystal elements and a mirrored pickguard. The silver crystal elements on the bass guitar are in a star pattern around the pickguard. The red crystal elements decorate the edge of the mirror pickguard. Red and silver crystal elements decorate the headstock. The guitar has two (2) black electric pick-ups at the center of star body. The neck of bass guitar is made of light brown wood with silver colored metal frets and star-shaped pearl fret markers. The brass colored bridge has the text [BADASS BASS II] with a trademark symbol next to the text stamped on the bottom edge. There are four round brass control knobs on right side of the body. Two of the control knobs have plastic mirrored stars attached to the tops. Black lettering on the headstock of the guitar reads, [BOOTSY / Washburn / MADE IN T]. The back of the headstock has a winged Washburn logo at the top above manufacturer information, serial number and patent numbers.
The guitar case (2015.234.1.2) is a rectangular wooden case with a faux white, leather finish with gold braid trim. The hardware on the case is brass with a white plastic handle. The top of the case has a gold five-point star with the text, [Bootsy] written in the center with black script. The interior is covered in crushed red velvet. A Delta Airline [FRAGILE] sticker has been placed on the top of the case. The interior of the case has a brass, oval plaque attached to the lid of the interior storage compartment with the following inscribed text [G&G / "The Original Vintage / Case Co." / MADE IN U.S.A.].
Place made
United States, North and Central America
Topic
African American
Funk (Music)
Instrumentalists (Musicians)
See more items in
National Museum of African American History and Culture Collection
Classification
Musical Instruments
Exhibition
Musical Crossroads
On View
NMAAHC (1400 Constitution Ave NW), National Mall Location, Culture/Fourth Floor, 4 053
Credit Line
Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, Gift of Bootsy Collins
Data Source
National Museum of African American History and Culture
Object number
2015.234.1.1-.2
Type
cases (containers)
electric guitars
Restrictions & Rights
No Known Copyright Restrictions
Proper usage is the responsibility of the user.
Medium
Guitar: brass (alloy), alloy steel, plastic , crystal (lead glass), paint and mother of pearl on mahogany and maple;
Case: vinyl , metal and velvet on wood
Dimensions
H x W x D (.1): 46 1/2 × 19 × 2 3/8 in. (118.1 × 48.3 × 6 cm)
H x W x D (.2): 21 3/4 × 52 1/4 × 4 1/4 in. (55.2 × 132.7 × 10.8 cm)
Title
Object Name • Bootsy Collins Space Bass guitar owned by Bootsy Collins
Record ID
nmaahc_2015.234.1.1-.2
Museum
NMAAHC
Title Sort
BOOTSY COLLINS SPACE BASS GUITAR OWNED BY BOOTSY COLLINS
Source
National Museum of African American History and Culture
Metadata Usage
CC0
Date
2000s
Name
Collins, Bootsy • G&G Quality Case Co. • Washburn Guitars
Place
United States • North and Central America
Topic
Funk (Music) • Instrumentalists (Musicians)
Culture
African Americans
Exhibition
NMAAHC • Musical Crossroads
Geo Location
Country • United States • Continent • North and Central America
Type
electric guitars • Cases (containers)
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.

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Signed guitar and case owned by James Brown

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Double neck guitar/synthesizer owned by Vernon Reid

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NMAAHC

Bootsy Collins Space Bass guitar owned by Bootsy Collins

Date: Date

Description

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NMAAHC

Electric guitar belonging to Chuck Berry, nicknamed "Maybellene"

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 became the first Black woman to travel into space?

Mae Jemison, aboard Space Shuttle Endeavour in 1992.