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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

Mbira and acoustic transducer owned by Pete Cosey

Date
1954-2012
Created by
Unidentified
Used by
Pete Cosey, American, 1943 - 2012
Manufactured by
Rowe Industries, American, 1940 - 1970
Description
A handheld llamellaphone instrument (.4a), known as a kalimba, mbira, or thumb piano, with DeArmond-brand acoustic transducer (.4b) owned and used by Pete Cosey. Instrument is a hollow wooden trapezoidal prism, with shape slightly flaring out from the end where the tines are attached to the end with resonator holes. There is one large hole on the front and two smaller holes on the back. Six of the fifteen tines have red paint on them - there is significant paint loss on each tine. Five screwheads on the back are visible and align with the tines on the front.
DeArmond-brand acoustic transducer is chromed with brass volume knob. Knob has a black plastic cover. Etched into chrome is [DeArmond / REG. U.S. PAT. OFF. / ROWE INDUSTRIES / TOLDEO, OHIO U.S.A.] Beneath the transducer, its bottom surfaces and edges are covered with a removable rubber padding, with a round hole containing a matching round section of cork glued directly to the transducer’s metal body. The plug end is a 1/4" TS plug that would feed into an amplifier.
Metal transducer clips (.4c, .4d, .4e) fit over the peg on the transducer’s top and have hooked ends would have attached a rubber band or cord to hold the transducer in place on the instrument’s body.
Rubber transducer foot (.4f) is formed to fit over metal body of transducer where it would contact the instrument.
A flat rubber circle (.4g) is similar material to the rubber transducer foot.
Topic
African American
Instrumentalists (Musicians)
Jazz (Music)
Music
Musicians
See more items in
National Museum of African American History and Culture Collection
Classification
Musical Instruments
Credit Line
Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, Gift of Karumah, Dunni, Ishmak, Aribania and Mariama Cosey in memory of Baba Pete Cosey
Data Source
National Museum of African American History and Culture
Object number
2021.105.4a-g
Type
kalimbas
mbira
Restrictions & Rights
No known copyright restrictions
Proper usage is the responsibility of the user.
Medium
wood, iron or iron alloy, paint, chromium, cork (bark), rubber and plastic
Dimensions
H x W x D (instrument): 8 1/4 × 5 7/8 × 1 3/4 in. (21 × 15 × 4.5 cm)
Title
Object Name • Mbira and acoustic transducer owned by Pete Cosey
Record ID
nmaahc_2021.105.4a-g
Museum
NMAAHC
Title Sort
MBIRA AND ACOUSTIC TRANSDUCER OWNED BY PETE COSEY
Source
National Museum of African American History and Culture
Metadata Usage
CC0
Date
2010s • 1950s
Name
Cosey, Pete • Rowe Industries
Topic
Instrumentalists (Musicians) • Jazz (Music)
Culture
African Americans
Type
kalimbas • mbira
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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NMAAHC

Business card for Larry Schulz Productions

Date: Date

Description

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NMAAHC

Mbira and acoustic transducer owned by Pete Cosey

Date: Date

Description

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NMAAHC

Program for the Shearer Players' production of Angel Street

Date: Date

Description

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NMAAHC

Flyer for Shearer Players' production of Angel Street

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.