q2K BHP
Black History Portal
THE BHP WIRE —
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
What's New!
THE JOURNEY THROUGH TIME
BHP HOME BEFORE AMERICA 1800–1936 1937–1957 1958–1980 1981–2000 2001–PRESENT

Explore Black History

Explore the people, places, events, achievements, struggles and stories that shaped our journey.

✊🏾

Civil Rights

Movements, leaders, victories and the continuing fight for equality.

⚙️

Black Inventors

Innovation, patents, science, technology and world-changing contributions.

🏆

Sports

Pioneers, champions, Negro Leagues, records, activism and excellence.

♟️

People

Meet the people whose lives, choices and achievements shaped the journey.

📍

Places

Black towns, communities, institutions and places where history happened.

📜

Events

Moments that changed communities, movements, institutions and the nation.

Enter a person, place, event, or topic.
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.

MORE →
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.

MORE →
BHP gathered finds from its connected research sources. Showing the 4 strongest Black History matches.
← BACK TO RESULTS
NMAAHC

U.S. World War I Victory medal issued to Cpl. Lawrence Leslie McVey

Date
1919-1940
Issued by
United States Army, American, founded 1775
Designed by
James Earle Fraser, American, 1876 - 1953
Received by
Cpl. Lawrence Leslie McVey, Sr., American, 1897 - 1968
Subject of
369th Infantry Regiment, American, 1913 - 1945
Caption
Due to racial tension within the US Army, the 369th Infantry Regiment was assigned to the French Army for the duration of US involvement in World War I. Formed from the 15th New York National Guard Regiment and nicknamed the "Harlem Hellfighters," the 369th was the first African American regiment to reach the battlefields of World War I and the first Allied troops to reach the banks of the Rhine. Upon completion of the 369th’s service in the war, the regiment had spent 191 days in combat, the longest of any American regiment. In appreciation for their actions in the Maison-en-Champagne campaign, the 369th was awarded the Croix de Guerre by the French Government for acts of bravery in conflicts against the enemy. In addition to this honor, 171 individual members of the 369th Regiment were awarded the Croix de Guerre and the Legion of Honor. The 369th Regiment finished their service in Europe and returned to the US in February 1919.
Description
U.S. World War I Victory medal issued to Corporal Lawrence Leslie McVey with army battle and service clasps. The ribbon is rainbow colored with red in the center surrounded by yellow, green, blue and purple. The ribbon is extremely frayed and the top quarter portion has separated from the rest of the ribbon. The four bronze army battle and service clasps attached to the metal have a star on each side and read, [CHAMPAGNE - MARNE], [AISNE - MARNE], [MEUSE-ARGONNE], and [DEFENSIVE SECTOR]. The circular medal hangs from its ribbon by a circular metal loop. The front of the medal has an image of the figure Victory with wings and a halo holding a sword and shield. At the bottom of the medal the designer's name is inscribed, [FRASER]. The back of the medal features a shield with a battle ax above comprised of six staffs roped together. The shield has the inscription [U / S] on either side of central ax. On top of the medal, the inscription curved reads, [THE GREAT WAR FOR CIVILIZATION]. On either side of the central image is a list of the Allied countries. The countries on the left are [FRANCE / ITALY / SERBIA / JAPAN / MONTENEGRO / RUSSIA / GREECE]. The countries on the right read, [GREAT / BRITIAN / BELGIUM / BRAZIL / PORTUGAL / RUMANIA / CHINA]. Curved along the bottom are six stars.
Place made
United States, North and Central America
Topic
African American
Military
World War I
See more items in
National Museum of African American History and Culture Collection
Classification
Awards, Medals, and Insignia
Exhibition
Defending Freedom, Defining Freedom: The Era of Segregation, 1876-1968
On View
NMAAHC (1400 Constitution Ave NW), National Mall Location, Concourse 2, C 2053
Credit Line
Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, Gift of Gina R. McVey, Granddaughter
Data Source
National Museum of African American History and Culture
Object number
2011.108.2
Type
medals
Restrictions & Rights
No Known Copyright Restrictions
Proper usage is the responsibility of the user.
Medium
bronze and ribbon
Dimensions
H x W x D: 3 7/8 × 1 1/2 × 1/8 in. (9.8 × 3.8 × 0.3 cm)
Title
Object Name • U.S. World War I Victory medal issued to Cpl. Lawrence Leslie McVey
Record ID
nmaahc_2011.108.2
Museum
NMAAHC
Title Sort
U.S. WORLD WAR I VICTORY MEDAL ISSUED TO CPL. LAWRENCE LESLIE MCVEY
Source
National Museum of African American History and Culture
Metadata Usage
CC0
Date
1910s • 1940s • 1914-1918
Name
United States Army • McVey,, Lawrence Leslie • 369th Infantry Regiment • Fraser, James Earle
Place
United States • North and Central America
Topic
WW I • World War, 1914-1918 • Military
Culture
African Americans
Exhibition
NMAAHC • Defending Freedom, Defining Freedom: The Era of Segregation, 1876-1968
Geo Location
Country • United States • Continent • North and Central America
Type
Medals
On Physical Exhibit
Yes
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.

NMAAHC

Photographic postcard of Cpl. Lawrence Leslie McVey in uniform

Date: Date

Caption

MORE →
No preview image
NMAAHC

1914 - 1918 Inter-Allied Victory medal issued to Cpl. Lawrence Leslie McVey

Date: Date

Caption

MORE →
No preview image
NMAAHC

U.S. World War I Victory medal issued to Cpl. Lawrence Leslie McVey

Date: Date

Caption

MORE →
No preview image
NMAAHC

Badge for sharpshooter-level marksmanship issued to Cpl. Lawrence Leslie McVey

Date: Date

Caption

MORE →
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.

MORE →
TRIVIA QUESTION OF THE DAY

Who became the first Black woman to travel into space?

Mae Jemison, aboard Space Shuttle Endeavour in 1992.