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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...

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.

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BHP gathered finds from its connected research sources. Showing the 4 strongest Black History matches.
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NMAAHC

Ivory and mint green evening dress worn by Ophelia DeVore

Date
late 1960s
Designed by
Count Ferdinando Sarmi, Italian, born 1912
Worn by
Ophelia DeVore, American, 1922 - 2014
Description
Ivory and mint green evening dress worn by Ophelia DeVore. The dress has a V-neck with a high back neckline, blousy full-length sleeves with fitted cuffs, and a full floor-length skirt gathered at the natural waist line. The dress is made from a strapless ivory silk faille bodice and skirt overlaid in ivory organdy with mint green and ivory satin stripes. The organdy forms the sheer upper bodice and sleeves, which do not have the ivory faille under them. The stripes are oriented vertically on the bodice, but horizontally on the sleeves and skirt. The sleeves are embellished with a floral vine design made from pink, blue, and ivory flowers cut from floral lace and vines made from sequins, beads, and rhinestones in silver and pale yellow. Each cuff fastens with two (2) metal snaps. A wide ivory satin belt is attached around the waist and fastens at the center front with a metal hook-and-eye underneath a pre-tied bow with short tails. The bow loops are pinned to the belt and the belt is folded and pinned at the center back waist. The dress closes at the center back with a zipper and two (2) metal hook-and-eyes. The zipper ends at the faille strapless bodice and the high sheer back is open, with the hook-and-eyes attached one at the bottom and one at the top.
The dress is self-lined in the ivory silk faille. A silver fabric label with black embroidered text is sewn at the interior proper left back side bodice that reads "DESIGNED BY / SARMI / NEW YORK". A white paper label with black printed text reading "Ophelia DeVore" in cursive font is adhered with clear tape to the interior proper right back side bodice.
Place used
New York City, New York, United States, North and Central America
Topic
African American
Clothing and dress
Fashion
See more items in
National Museum of African American History and Culture Collection
Classification
Clothing - Fashion and Historical
Credit Line
Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, Gift of Ophelia DeVore
Data Source
National Museum of African American History and Culture
Object number
2011.25.5.1
Type
dresses
Restrictions & Rights
No Known Copyright Restrictions
Proper usage is the responsibility of the user.
Medium
silk faille, silk organdy and satin, satin ribbon, lace, sequins, rhinestones, beads, and metal fasteners
Dimensions
H x W: 56 x 31 in. (142.2 x 78.7 cm)
Title
Object Name • Ivory and mint green evening dress worn by Ophelia DeVore
Record ID
nmaahc_2011.25.5.1
Museum
NMAAHC
Title Sort
IVORY AND MINT GREEN EVENING DRESS WORN BY OPHELIA DEVORE
Source
National Museum of African American History and Culture
Metadata Usage
CC0
Date
1960s • 1970s
Name
DeVore, Ophelia • Sarmi, Ferdinando
Place
New York City • United States • North and Central America
Topic
Clothing and dress • Fashion
Culture
African Americans
Geo Location
City • New York City • State • New York • Country • United States • Continent • North and Central America
Type
Dresses (garments)
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

Mint green, yellow, and grey jumpsuit designed by Willi Smith

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Description

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NMAAHC

Ivory and mint green evening dress worn by Ophelia DeVore

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Description

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NMAAHC

Mexican Border Service Medal

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NMAAHC

Poster with "Chicano Power" and "Viva La Raza" over a Mexican flag

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

Who became the first Black woman to travel into space?

Mae Jemison, aboard Space Shuttle Endeavour in 1992.