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THE JOURNEY THROUGH TIME

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Events

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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...

Ruler of the Mali Empire in the 14th century

Mansa Musa was the ruler of the Mali Empire in West Africa. Details recorded here should be sourced; unknown information is left blank.

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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 halter gown by Jacqueline de Ribes

Date
late 1980s
Description
Iridescent blue evening gown by Jacqueline de Ribes. The bodice of the gown has a deep plunging V-neck to the natural waist with a halter neck band. It is backless. The edges of the V-neck and the open back are trimmed in blue velvet. The halter neck band is made from the velvet and closes at the back neck with two (2) black hook-and-eyes. Pre-tied bows made from the velvet are sewn at each top shoulder. The body of the dress continues to the floor in a column skirt with a long center back slit. Three (3) layers of the blue iridescent silk are cut with rounded edges and stacked on top of each other, then sewn on either side of the slit at the center back skirt up to the back waist, where they are gathered to create a large ruffle. A pre-tied blue velvet bow is sewn at each back side hip. The dress closes at the center back with a zipper and one (1) hook-and-eye.
The dress is fully lined in the blue iridescent silk. There is an interior self-fabric waistband that is tacked at each back side next to the zipper and at the center front waist. It closes at the center back with four (4) hook-and-eyes. Self-fabric hanger loops are sewn on each side of the interior waist band. A white fabric label with black embroidered text is sewn at the interior proper left back waist that reads "Jacqueline de Ribes / PARIS NEW YORK / MADE IN FRANCE". A silver crown is embroidered at the center bottom of the label.
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National Museum of African American History and Culture Collection
Collection title
Ebony Fashion Fair Collection
Classification
Clothing - Fashion and Historical
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
2015.141.26
Type
dresses
Restrictions & Rights
No known copyright restrictions
Proper usage is the responsibility of the user.
Medium
silk taffeta, silk velvet, and metal fasteners
Dimensions
H x W (flat): 70 1/2 × 24 1/2 in. (179.1 × 62.2 cm)
Title
Object Name • Blue halter gown by Jacqueline de Ribes
Record ID
nmaahc_2015.141.26
Museum
NMAAHC
Title Sort
BLUE HALTER GOWN BY JACQUELINE DE RIBES
Source
National Museum of African American History and Culture
Metadata Usage
CC0
Date
1980s
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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Jacqueline Santiago and Cathy Lindsey

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Blue halter gown by Jacqueline de Ribes

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Furious Flower: A Revolution in African American Poetry

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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.