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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

Jacket, top, and skirt designed by Damali and worn by Dr. Johnnetta B. Cole

Date
2012
Designed by
Damali Afrikan Wear, founded 1991
Worn by
Dr. Johnnetta Betsch Cole, American, born 1936
Description
An African-inspired ensemble designed by Damali and worn by Dr. Johnnetta Betsch Cole consisting of a short-sleeved crop jacket (.1), a long-sleeved fitted shirt (.2), and a wide circle skirt (.3).
.1: Cropped jacket with short dolman sleeves and a rounded stand-up collar made from multiple fabrics in muted brown tones. The body and sleeves of the jacket are made from a dark brown satin with raised design of swirling lines. The collar is made from a gold, green, and eggplant design of diamonds. There is one (1) patch pocket sewn at the proper right front made from a textured fabric with a deep brown short piled velvet interspersed with chevrons in orange and cream. The seams down the center of the side panels on the front and back, the edges of the pocket, and two (2) bars across each side of the collar are trimmed in shiny gray piping. The jacket closes at the center front with one (1) black snap. A large round dark brown decorative button is sewn on the proper right front opening. The jacket is lined with a burgundy satin. There is a designer label sewn at the center back interior neck made from white fabric with machine-embroidered black text reading "DAMALI".
.2: Long-sleeved fitted shirt with v-neck made from multiple fabrics in gray tones. The center front bodice is made from a mid-weight olive gray cotton printed with a cream design of alternating undulating stripes of large circles and small circles. A panel of cream satin with brocaded striped sections bisects the center front just below the bust that has a gray circular sunburst brocaded design at the center. The sides and back of the bodice are made from a taupe and black slubbed fabric. The straight cut sleeves are made from a gray and cream fabric with a brocade palm leaf repeating design. Shiny gray piping is sewn along the shaping seams of the bodice on the front and back, at the top and bottom edges of the center decorative panel, and along the sleeve seams. The shirt closes at the center back with an invisible plastic zipper that extends from the center back hem to just below the back yoke. The shirt is not lined. There is a designer label sewn at the center back interior neck made from white fabric with machine-embroidered black text reading "DAMALI" and an additional tag sewn below it reading "DRY CLEAN ONLY".
.3: Olive gray calf-length circle skirt with a wide waist band. The waist band and the top half of the skirt are made from a mid-weight olive gray cotton printed with a cream design of alternating undulating stripes of large circles and small circles. The bottom portion of the skirt is made from a dark olive gray knit blended fabric. The seams joining the two fabrics and the seam around the bottom of the waist band are trimmed in shiny gray piping. The skirt closes at the side waist with a metal zipper and a metal hook-and-eye. The waist band is lined with gray synthetic fabric, the rest of the skirt is not lined.
Place used
Washington, District of Columbia, United States, North and Central America
Topic
African American
African diaspora
Clothing and dress
Design
Fashion
Fashion design
Local and regional
See more items in
National Museum of African American History and Culture Collection
Classification
Clothing - Fashion and Historical
Exhibition
Cultural Expressions
On View
NMAAHC (1400 Constitution Ave NW), National Mall Location, Culture/Fourth Floor, 4 050
Credit Line
Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, Gift of Johnnetta Betsch Cole
Data Source
National Museum of African American History and Culture
Object number
2015.209.7.1-.3
Type
jackets
shirts
skirts
Restrictions & Rights
No Known Copyright Restrictions
Proper usage is the responsibility of the user.
Medium
synthetic fiber, cotton, and piping, with plastic and metal closures
Dimensions
H x W (.1 flat): 20 1/2 × 33 1/2 in. (52.1 × 85.1 cm)
H x W (.2 flat): 25 × 57 in. (63.5 × 144.8 cm)
H x W (.3 flat): 34 1/2 × 64 1/2 in. (87.6 × 163.8 cm)
Title
Object Name • Jacket, top, and skirt designed by Damali and worn by Dr. Johnnetta B. Cole
Record ID
nmaahc_2015.209.7.1-.3
Museum
NMAAHC
Title Sort
JACKET, TOP, AND SKIRT DESIGNED BY DAMALI AND WORN BY DR. JOHNNETTA B. COLE
Source
National Museum of African American History and Culture
Metadata Usage
CC0
Date
2010s
Name
Damali Afrikan Wear • Cole, Johnnetta Betsch
Place
District of Columbia • United States • North and Central America • Washington
Topic
African diaspora • Design • Clothing and dress • Fashion
Culture
African Americans • Africans
Exhibition
NMAAHC • Cultural Expressions
Geo Location
City • Washington • State • District of Columbia • Country • United States • Continent • North and Central America
Type
Shirts • Skirts (garments) • jackets
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.

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NMAAHC

Jacket, top, and skirt designed by Damali and worn by Dr. Johnnetta B. Cole

Date: Date

Description

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NMAAHC

Gelatin silver print of Nat King Cole, Perry Como, and Chester Dudley

Date: Date

Description

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NMAAHC

Contact sheet of photographs of Nat King Cole playing the piano

Date: Date

Description

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NMAAHC

Medal commemorating Dr. Johnnetta B. Cole as President of Spelman College

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.