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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...

Shirley Chisholm — Unbought and Unbossed

In 1968 Shirley Chisholm became the first Black woman elected to the United States Congress. In 1972 she launched a campaign for the Democratic presidential nomination, breaking another political barrier.

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BHP gathered finds from its connected research sources. Showing the 2 strongest Black History matches.
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NMAAHC

Package of Maxi Light Beauty Soap

Date
2014
Manufactured by
Nouvelle Parfumerie Gandour, Ivorian, founded 1965
Description
A bar of soap (2014.284.1a), box (2014.284.1b), and advertising insert (2014.284.1c) of the brand “Maxi Light."
A round, off-white bar of Maxi Light Beauty Soap. The soap is in is in sealed plastic wrapping and is molded on top with the brand's flower-shaped logo, a stylized flower with three (3) petals and two (2) leaves, followed by the text [MAXI LIGHT] in the center of a molded circle. The bar of soap is inherently flat on the bottom.
A thin, square cardboard box (2014.284.1b) for skin lightening soap. The box features an image of a woman on the left side of the box against a brown to white gradient background. She is pictured seated, with her back to the viewer with her proper left arm bent above and behind her with her hand resting at the base of her neck. Her proper right hand is resting on her proper right knee. The woman is bare down to the waist and wears a light yellow towel around her waist that covers her thighs. To the right of the image is Maxi Light’s flower-shaped logo and black text with the brand name and featured ingredients [MAXI / LIGHT / Vitamins /A & E / Oligoelement]. A tan curved geometric element surrounds the image and black text. Along the bottom is white text with additional information about the product: [Beauty Soap / Lightening & Purifying / 120 g Sabonete de Beleza - Clareador e Purificador 4.2 oz.]. The remaining sides of the box are filled with information about the product, ingredients, manufacturing information, and use, in English, French, and Portuguese.
An advertising insert (2014.284.1c) for Maxi Light beauty products. The front on the insert features an image of a woman on the left side. She is pictured seated, with her back to the viewer with her proper left arm bent above and behind her with her hand resting at the base of her neck. Her proper right hand is resting on her proper right knee. The woman is bare down to the waist and wears a light yellow towel around her waist that covers her thighs. To the right of the image is black and brown text with the brand and featured ingredients [MAXI / LIGHT / MAXI SOINS / CARE / MAXI CLARTÉ / CLEAR / MAXI BEAUTÉ / BEAUTY / Vitamins / A & E / Oligoélément]. A tan curved geometric element surrounds the image and black text. Along the bottom are images of various different Maxi Light products and the manufacturer’s name and seal. The back of the sheet includes a list of products and their purpose and use in three (3) languages, English, French, and Portuguese.
Place made
Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire, West Africa, Africa
Topic
African American
Africa
Beauty culture
Colorism
Multilingual communication
See more items in
National Museum of African American History and Culture Collection
Classification
Accessories and Personal Effects
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
2014.284.1abc
Type
cosmetics
Restrictions & Rights
Unknown - Restrictions Possible
Rights assessment and proper usage is the responsibility of the user.
Medium
soap (brick) and plastic;
ink on cardboard;
ink on paper
Dimensions
H x W x D (2014.284.1a Soap and wrapper): 4 × 3 9/16 × 1 11/16 in. (10.2 × 9 × 4.3 cm)
H x W x D (2014.284.1b Box): 3 1/4 × 3 5/16 × 1 5/8 in. (8.3 × 8.4 × 4.1 cm)
L x W (2014.284.1c Advertising insert): 8 1/16 × 3 9/16 in. (20.5 × 9 cm)
Title
Object Name • Package of Maxi Light Beauty Soap
Record ID
nmaahc_2014.284.1abc
Museum
NMAAHC
Title Sort
PACKAGE OF MAXI LIGHT BEAUTY SOAP
Source
National Museum of African American History and Culture
Metadata Usage
CC0
Date
2010s
Name
Nouvelle Parfumerie Gandour
Place
West Africa • Côte d'Ivoire • Abidjan
Topic
Beauty culture • Multilingual communication • Colorism
Culture
African Americans
Geo Location
City • Abidjan • Country • Côte d'Ivoire • Region • West Africa • Continent • Africa
Type
Cosmetics
Online Media Type
Images
Online Media Rights
Unknown - Restrictions Possible

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

Package of Carotone brightening cream

Date: Date

Description

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No preview image
NMAAHC

Package of Maxi Light Beauty Soap

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 Supreme Court case ruled state-sponsored public-school segregation unconstitutional?

Brown v. Board of Education in 1954.