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THE JOURNEY THROUGH TIME
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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...

Katherine Johnson — Mathematics to the Moon

Katherine Johnson’s mathematical calculations helped guide some of America’s most important early space missions while she confronted the racial and gender barriers faced by Black women in twentieth-century America.

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

Green mug with Harlem Toile picnic vignette

Date
2022
Manufactured by
Enoch Wedgwood Ltd, English, founded 1860
Designed by
Sheila Bridges, American, born 1964
Distributed by
Fiskars Living US, LLC, American, founded 2009
Description
A green bone china mug from the Wedgwood X Sheila Bridges collaboration, featuring the picnic vignette from Bridges' Harlem Toile de Jouy design.
This is a round mug with tall straight sides and a curved handle. The exterior is wrapped in a bright green and the interior, bottom, and handle of the mug are white and edged with black. Depicted on one side of the mug is a picnic scene of a young man and woman in 18th century clothing seated on the ground under a tree. She is seated cross-legged and holds a fried chicken leg in both hands in front of her. There is a whole watermelon and slices of watermelon on the ground behind her. The man sits across from her, reaching for a plate of food on the ground in between them. The woman's purple dress and the man's red trousers are the only spots of color in the otherwise black and white design. On the other side of the mug is a second vignette of individuals in 18th century clothing dining at a table. This scene is done entirely in black on the green background of the mug. Two men and two women are seated at the table, and one man stands next to the table with his hands on his hips. On the underside of the mug is a large rooster with a slice of red watermelon. There is printed black text in the center that reads [WEDGWOOD / X / SHEILA BRIDGES / Bone China / Dishwasher Safe].
Topic
African American
Cooking and dining
Design
Foodways
Play
Stereotypes
See more items in
National Museum of African American History and Culture Collection
Collection title
Wedgwood X Sheila Bridges Collection
Classification
Decorative Arts, Craft, and Design
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 Wedgwood
Data Source
National Museum of African American History and Culture
Object number
2022.75.8
Type
mugs
Restrictions & Rights
© Sheila Bridges, Wedgwood © Fiskars Group
Permission required for use. Proper usage is the responsibility of the user.
Medium
bone china
Dimensions
H x W x D: 4 × 4 1/2 × 3 in. (10.2 × 11.4 × 7.6 cm)
Title
Object Name • Green mug with Harlem Toile picnic vignette
Record ID
nmaahc_2022.75.8
Museum
NMAAHC
Title Sort
GREEN MUG WITH HARLEM TOILE PICNIC VIGNETTE
Source
National Museum of African American History and Culture
Metadata Usage
CC0
Date
2020s
Name
Bridges, Sheila • Fiskars Living US, LLC • Enoch Wedgwood Ltd
Topic
Design • Play • Cooking • Dinners and dining • Stereotypes
Culture
African Americans
Exhibition
NMAAHC • Cultural Expressions
Type
Mugs
On Physical Exhibit
Yes
Online Media Type
Images
Online Media Rights
Limited Use

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

Mug and lid for "Jolly Boy Black Tea" depicting a “picaninny” boy

Date: Date

Description

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NMAAHC

Gelatin silver print of a barber shop in Alexandria, Louisiana

Date: Date

Description

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NMAAHC

Green mug with Harlem Toile picnic vignette

Date: Date

Description

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NMAAHC

Blue mug with Harlem Toile basketball vignette

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.