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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...

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.

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

Ivory lace dress with tiered skirt by Peter Davy

Date
1980s
Description
An ivory lace dress with a tiered skirt by Peter Davy. The front bodice features an asymmetrical application of lace over a sheer panel of synthetic organza. The lace applique curves upward and has beaded fringed along the top proper right edge made from glass and plastic beads. Iridescent plastic sequins and glass seed beads are also sewn along the top edges of the lace applique and neckline. Various flowers on the lace bust are also embellished with iridescent sequins and glass seed beads. Short strings of beaded fringe with round flat sequins at the end are placed at the center of several flowers throughout the bust. The bodice features a drop waist and has set in ivory lace sleeves with decorative cuffs. Both the sleeves and the cuffs are embellished with iridescent sequins and glass seed beads. Each sleeve is made from one panel of fabric, sewn to itself at the inner arm. There is a large shoulder ruffle, made from synthetic horsehair, and covered in synthetic ivory plain weave at the proper right. The ruffle is applied around the outer arm’s eye at the proper right and extends about 7” from the top of the shoulder. Iridescent sequins and glass seed beads embellish the edge of ruffle. A tiered skirt made of alternating tiers of ivory lace and synthetic organza are sewn to the drop waist of the bodice. Each tier is gathered along the seams and edged with synthetic horsehair for added structure. The machine lace tiers have strands of beaded trim with a single, flat iridescent sequin placed equidistantly along the edge (about 6” apart from each other.) Each tier is connected by a hidden 5.5" panel of ivory synthetic satin and behind the bottom tier of lace is a panel of synthetic crepe backed satin.
The back bodice has a deeper V-neck with a scalloped edge and the neckline is embellished with iridescent sequins and glass seed beads. The back if the bodice is made from two panels separated by a 13” metal zipper pull and plastic teeth. There are two shaping darts (one right and one left) measuring about 12.75” at the lower back of the bust. The interior bodice features one panel of ivory synthetic plain weave for the front and two panels for the back. All the major dress seams are machine stitched together, except the for the arm’s eye seams, which are handstitched. There are interior tulle ruffles placed at the top of each shoulder for added structure. There is no label.
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
2007.3.118
Type
dresses
evening dresses
Restrictions & Rights
No Known Copyright Restrictions
Proper usage is the responsibility of the user.
Medium
synthetic organza, synthetic satin, synthetic horsehair, machine lace, plastic sequin, glass bead, and metal
Dimensions
Length (shoulder to hem): 59 in. (149.9 cm)
Width (shoulder to shoulder): 14 1/2 in. (36.8 cm)
Waist: 13 in. (33 cm)
Title
Object Name • Ivory lace dress with tiered skirt by Peter Davy
Record ID
nmaahc_2007.3.118
Museum
NMAAHC
Title Sort
IVORY LACE DRESS WITH TIERED SKIRT BY PETER DAVY
Source
National Museum of African American History and Culture
Metadata Usage
CC0
Date
1980s
Geo Location
City • New York City • State • New York • Country • United States • Continent • North and Central America
Online Media Type
Images
Online Media Rights
No Known Copyright Restrictions

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

Ivory lace dress with tiered skirt by Peter Davy

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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 was the first African-American woman millionaire in the United States?

Madam C.J. Walker