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...

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.

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

Pickrick Drumstick signed by Lester Maddox

Date
ca. 1975
Created by
Lester Maddox, American, 1915 - 2003
Caption
Lester Maddox (1915-2003) was a restaurant owner in Atlanta with an interest in politics, having first run for mayor in 1957. His restaurant, the Pickrick Cafeteria, featured a dozen axe handles ("Pickrick Drumsticks," he called them) displayed by the front door. After passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 outlawing segregation in public accommodations, Maddox continued to refuse to serve African Americans, running an initial group of protestors off with a pistol while his son and some customers and employees brandished the axe handles. The image became a favorite of segregationists and Maddox took to selling axe handles and other "state’s rights" souvenirs, a practice he continued from 1964 to at least the late 1980s.
Maddox sold his restaurant in 1965 and entered Georgia politics full time, serving as governor (1967-1971) and then lieutenant governor (1971-75).
Description
A Pickrick Drumstick signed by Lester Maddox. The wooden axe handle has printed type in blue ink that reads: [LESTER MADDOX'S / PICKRICK DRUMSTICK]. Next to the printing is the signature [Lester Maddox] in black ink.
Lester Maddox's Pickrick Drumstick from his 1966 political campaign for Governor of Georgia. Signed "Good luck to Ray/Lester Maddox 1-25-75". Maddox would use ax handles like this one to threaten and assault Civil Rights activists attempting to integrate his restaurant.
Place used
Georgia, United States, North and Central America
Topic
African American
American South
Civil Rights
Politics
Race discrimination
Segregation
U.S. History, 1961-1969
Violence
See more items in
National Museum of African American History and Culture Collection
Classification
Weapons and Ammunition
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 Michael Donnelly
Data Source
National Museum of African American History and Culture
Object number
2011.123
Type
handles
Restrictions & Rights
No Known Copyright Restrictions
Proper usage is the responsibility of the user.
Medium
wood
Dimensions
36 x 2 x 3 in. (91.4 x 5.1 x 7.6 cm)
Title
Object Name • Pickrick Drumstick signed by Lester Maddox
Record ID
nmaahc_2011.123
Museum
NMAAHC
Title Sort
PICKRICK DRUMSTICK SIGNED BY LESTER MADDOX
Source
National Museum of African American History and Culture
Metadata Usage
CC0
Date
1960s • 1980s
Name
Maddox, Lester
Place
United States • North and Central America • Georgia
Topic
American South • Discrimination • Segregation • Violence • Race • U.S. History, 1961-1969 • Civil rights • Politics
Culture
African Americans
Exhibition
NMAAHC • Defending Freedom, Defining Freedom: The Era of Segregation, 1876-1968
Geo Location
State • Georgia • Country • United States • Continent • North and Central America
Type
Handles
On Physical Exhibit
Yes
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.

NMAAHC

Pickrick Drumstick signed by Lester Maddox

Date: Date

Caption

MORE →
NMAAHC

Pickrick Drumstick signed by Lester Maddox

Date: Date

Description

MORE →
No preview image
NMAAHC

Lester Bowie, Sweet Basil, NYC

Date: Date

Description

MORE →
No preview image
NMAAHC

Lester Bowie, 1973

Date: Date

Description

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

Which heavyweight champion was known as the “Brown Bomber”?

Joe Louis.