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HIDDEN TRUTHS
GREENWOOD / BLACK WALL STREET WILMINGTON 1898 LITTLE ROCK NINE TUSKEGEE STUDY ROSEWOOD 1923 THE TUSKEGEE AIRMEN SENECA VILLAGE BLACK TOWNS GREENWOOD / BLACK WALL STREET WILMINGTON 1898 LITTLE ROCK NINE TUSKEGEE STUDY ROSEWOOD 1923 THE TUSKEGEE AIRMEN SENECA VILLAGE BLACK TOWNS
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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

Muslim Girls Training uniform worn by Sister Ruth Omar

Date
1960-1975
Created by
Unidentified
Worn by
Sister Ruth Omar
Description
Muslim Girls Training uniform worn by Sister Ruth Omar consisting of a headscarf (.1), tunic (.2), skirt (.3), and cape (.4).
.1: A white head scarf made of crepe synthetic fabric. The scarf is in the shape of a half-circle with the forehead portion at the horizontal edge. A flap of fabric is folded under the forehead. It is cut at the sides to create flaps that wrap around the base of the neck. It is not lined and there are no labels.
.2: A white tunic made of crepe synthetic fabric. The tunic has a mandarin collar, full-length straight sleeves, and falls at the natural hip. It fastens in the front at the proper left with a white metal zipper that is concealed from the facing side by a placket. The placket is further fastened at the top proper left shoulder with two (2) metal snaps and at the center front neck with one (1) metal snap The tunic is fully lined in a lighter weight white crepe synthetic fabric. There are no labels.
.3: A floor-length white skirt made of crepe synthetic fabric. Shaping darts are sewn around the waist to create a slight A-line silhouette. The skirt fastens at the center back waist with a metal zipper. It is lined in a lighter weight white crepe synthetic fabric. There are no labels.
.4: A white cape made of crepe synthetic fabric. The cape has slits at each side for the arms and it falls below the knee. It fastens with one (1) metal snap at the center front neck. It is fully lined in a lighter weight white crepe synthetic fabric. There are no labels.
Place used
Washington, District of Columbia, United States, North and Central America
Topic
African American
Children
Clothing and dress
Nation of Islam
Religion
Women
See more items in
National Museum of African American History and Culture Collection
Classification
Clothing - Fashion and Historical
Movement
Black Nationalism
Credit Line
Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, Gift of Khalid Al Amin
Data Source
National Museum of African American History and Culture
Object number
2015.10.2.1-.4
Type
tunics
capes (outerwear)
skirts
headscarves
Restrictions & Rights
No Known Copyright Restrictions
Proper usage is the responsibility of the user.
Medium
headscarf: synthetic fiber;
tunic: synthetic fiber with metal fasteners;
skirt: synthetic fiber with metal zipper;
cape: synthetic fiber with metal snaps
Dimensions
H x W (.1): 25 × 33 3/8 in. (63.5 × 84.8 cm)
H x W (.2): 27 × 16 1/4 in. (68.6 × 41.3 cm)
H x W (.3): 37 1/8 × 18 in. (94.3 × 45.7 cm)
H x W (.4): 37 × 42 in. (94 × 106.7 cm)
Title
Object Name • Muslim Girls Training uniform worn by Sister Ruth Omar
Record ID
nmaahc_2015.10.2.1-.4
Museum
NMAAHC
Title Sort
MUSLIM GIRLS TRAINING UNIFORM WORN BY SISTER RUTH OMAR
Source
National Museum of African American History and Culture
Metadata Usage
CC0
Date
1960s • 1970s
Name
Omar, Ruth
Place
District of Columbia • United States • North and Central America • Washington
Topic
Women • Clothing and dress • Nation of Islam • Black Nationalism • Religion • Children
Culture
African Americans
Geo Location
City • Washington • State • District of Columbia • Country • United States • Continent • North and Central America
Type
Capes (outerwear) • Skirts (garments) • tunics • headscarves
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

Muslim Girls Training uniform worn by Sister Ruth Omar

Date: Date

Description

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NMAAHC

The Life of Mahomet

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NMAAHC

Purple leather belt worn by Bernie Worrell of Parliament-Funkadelic

Date: Date

Description

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NMAAHC

AfriCOBRA 1: Ten in Search of a Nation

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

Which Black woman became the first elected to the United States Congress?

Shirley Chisholm, elected in 1968.