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

Flier for “Benefit Show for Police Athletic League Hip Hop Showdown” by Van Silk

Date
January 19, 1985
Designed by
VanSilk, American, born 1958
Distributed by
Patricia Hearon
Subject of
Grandmaster Caz, American, born 1960
JDL, American
The Cold Crush Brothers, American, founded 1978
Casio, American
Afrika Islam, American, born 1967
Afrika Bambaataa, American, born 1957
Melle Mel, American, born 1961
Furious Five, American, 1978 - 1989
Police Athletic League Community Center, American
Police Athletic League, American, founded 1936
The Roxy, American, 1978 - 2007
Printed by
Unidentified
Description
A flier for “Benefit Show for Police Athletic League Hip Hop Showdown” designed by Van Silk. The flier is in portrait orientation and printed on off-white paper. It is covered top to bottom in black text and graphics. The top half of the flier has centered, horizontal text in varying fonts and sizes that reads [Patricia Hearon / presents / BENEFIT SHOW For PAL / HIP HOP SHOWDOWN / Starring…..]. Listed below are the acts printed in horizontal and diagonal orientations. Text printed on the left reads [G.M.CAZ&JDL / of / COLDCRUSH 4]. Text printed at the center reads [Humanbeatboxx / ‘CASIO’], and text printed on the right reads [Son of / Bambatta / Dj Afrika / ISLAM]. Centered text below reads [Sun 20th / “LIVE ON STAGE” / GRANDMASTER MELE MEL / ··OF THE FURIOUS 5 / Whitelines, Message, Beatstreet & / “STEP OFF’ / CALLING OUT THE Human Beatboxx / TO BATTLE / CASH PRIZES / ‘FRESH 85’]. The event location and contact information, printed at the bottom center, reads [P.A.L. COMMUNITY CENTER / 123rd Steel Bet. 7th & 8th Aves. / Info: 749-1157]. Printed in each of the corners is additional event information. The text printed in the top corners reads [2 Floors, / 2 Days] on the left, and [Sat / JAN / 19th] on the right. Text printed in the bottom corners reads [Doors /open / 8pm] on the left, and [adm / $4withflyer] above [DON’T / MISS / IT!!] on the right. The flier text is accented with ten graphics of small, solid black, five-pointed stars. The back of the flier has no text or inscriptions.
Transcription Center Status
Transcribed by digital volunteers
Place used
Bronx, New York City, New York, United States, North and Central America
Topic
African American
Design
DJs (Musicians)
Graphic design
Hip-hop (Music)
Nightlife
Rappers (Musicians)
Urban life
See more items in
National Museum of African American History and Culture Collection
Classification
Decorative Arts, Craft, and Design
Memorabilia and Ephemera - Advertisements
Credit Line
Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture
Data Source
National Museum of African American History and Culture
Object number
2020.38.1.5
Type
fliers (printed matter)
Restrictions & Rights
Public domain
Proper usage is the responsibility of the user.
Medium
ink on paper (fiber product)
Dimensions
H x W: 10 13/16 × 8 3/8 in. (27.5 × 21.2 cm)
Title
Object Name • Flier for “Benefit Show for Police Athletic League Hip Hop Showdown” by Van Silk
Record ID
nmaahc_2020.38.1.5
Museum
NMAAHC
Title Sort
FLIER FOR “BENEFIT SHOW FOR POLICE ATHLETIC LEAGUE HIP HOP SHOWDOWN” BY VAN SILK
Source
National Museum of African American History and Culture
Metadata Usage
CC0
Date
1980s
Name
Grandmaster Caz • Islam, Afrika • Police Athletic League Community Center • Police Athletic League • The Roxy • Casio • VanSilk • JDL • Hearon, Patricia • Melle Mel • Furious Five • Afrika Bambaataa • The Cold Crush Brothers
Place
New York City • United States • North and Central America • Bronx
Topic
Design • Nightlife • Graphic arts • Hip-hop (Music) • Rappers (Musicians) • DJs (Musicians) • Urban life
Culture
African Americans
Geo Location
Locale • Bronx • City • New York City • State • New York • Country • United States • Continent • North and Central America
Type
Fliers (printed matter)
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.

No preview image
NMAAHC

Mel 'n' Me (Melle Mel of the Furious 5 and Harry Allen)

Date: Date

Description

MORE →
NMAAHC

Flier for "The Biggest Hip Hop Birthday Party of the Year” for Grand Master Dee

Date: Date

Description

MORE →
NMAAHC

Flier for a rap battle in the Bronx designed by Buddy Esquire

Date: Date

Description

MORE →
NMAAHC

Flier for “Benefit Show for Police Athletic League Hip Hop Showdown” by Van Silk

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

Who became the first Black woman to travel into space?

Mae Jemison, aboard Space Shuttle Endeavour in 1992.