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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

Autographed commemorative Charlotte Bobcats vs. the Orlando Magic basketball

Date
November 6, 2004
Manufactured by
Spalding, American, founded 1876
Designed by
AnKara Designs, American, founded 1991
Owned by
Robert L. Johnson, American, born 1946
Subject of
Charlotte Hornets, American, founded 1988
Orlando Magic, American, founded 1989
National Basketball Association, American, founded 1946
Ed Tapscott, American, born 1953
Bernie Bickerstaff, American, born 1944
J. B. Bickerstaff, American, born 1979
Gary Brokaw, American, born 1954
Jeff Capel II, American, 1953 - 2017
Gary Kloppenburg, American, born 1953
John Outlaw, American, born 1945
Malik Allen, American, born 1978
Keith Bogans, American, born 1980
Primož Brezec, Slovenian, born 1979
Melvin Ely, American, born 1978
Jason Hart, American, born 1978
Eddie House, American, born 1978
Jason Kapono, American, born 1981
Brevin Knight, American, born 1975
Emeka Okafor, American, born 1982
Bernard Robinson, American, born 1980
Jamal Sampson, American, born 1983
Tamar Slay, American, born 1980
Steve Smith, American, born 1969
Theron Smith, American, born 1980
Description
A hand painted and autographed, game played, leather basketball used in the Charlotte Bobcats vs. the Orlando Magic game on November 6, 2004, owned by Robert Johnson. The ball has eight orange and white panels with black ribs. Five of the eight panels have text printed on them. One panel has black printed text that reads [SPALDING®]. Another panel reads [Official Game Ball / NBA / David J. Stern / COMMISIONER / NATIONAL BASKETBALL ASSOCIATION] printed in text of varying sizes and fonts. Printed black text over the panel with the inflation valve reads [SELECTED GRAIN / GENUINE LEATHER / E KR / MOISTEN NEEDLE / INFLATE 7 TO 9 LBS / MADE IN KOREA]. A fourth panel has a black, stylized graphic logo of a man dribbling a basketball next to large, outlined text that reads [NBA]. The fifth panel, printed with the text [SPALDING®], is hand painted over in white, with red and blue painted text and graphics printed over the painted white field. At the center is a blue outlined graphic of a bobcat depicted in profile. Its jaws are slightly open, exposing its teeth. Above the bobcat graphic is blue and grey text that reads [CHARLOTTE / BOBCATS]. Text above the graphic reads [FIRST WIN IN FRANCISE HISTORY]. Text below the graphic reads [CHARLOTTE BOBCATS 111 – ORLANDO MAGIC 100 / NOVEMBER 6, 2004]. Vertical handwritten to the left of the white panel reads [AnKara / designs / 2005] with a flourish next to the year. One panel has the text [CHARLOTTE / BOBCATS] debossed on the surface. All seven orange panels feature autographs from the Charlotte Bobcats players and team personnel. Autographs include President of Bobcats Basketball Holdings Ed Tapscott, [Ed Tapscott]; Coach Bernie Bickerstaff, [B Bicksff]; Assistant Coach J.B. Bickerstaff, [JB BFF]; Assistant Coach Gary Brokaw, [Gary Brokaw]; Assistant Coach Jeff Capel, [Jeff Capl]; Assistant Coach Gary Kloppenburg, [Gary Kloppenburg]; Assistant Coach John Outlaw, [John Outlaw]; Player #35 Malik Allen, [MA / 35]; Player #10 Keith Bogans, [Keith B / #10]; Player #7 Pimoz Brezec, [P / B/ #7]; Player #2 Melvin Ely, [M Ely / #2]; Player #1 Jason Hart, [# / JH]; Player #5 Eddie House, [E / H / #5]; Player #24 Jason Kapono, [JK / 24]; Player #22 Brevin Knight, [Be Knt / 22]; Player #50 Emeka Okafor, [Emeka Okafor / #50]; Player #21 Bernard Robinson, [#21 / Bd R]; Player #31 Jamal Sampson, [Jamal Sampson]; Player #32 Tamar Slay, [T Sly / 32]; Player #8 Steve Smith, [Steve / S / #8]; and Player #0 Theron Smith, [TS / #0[encircled]].
Place collected
Bethesda, Montgomery County, Maryland, United States, North and Central America
Place made
Korea, Asia
Place used
Charlotte, Mecklenburg County, North Carolina, United States, North and Central America
Topic
African American
Athletes
Basketball
Black Enterprise
Business
Sports
Television
See more items in
National Museum of African American History and Culture Collection
Classification
Tools and Equipment
Memorabilia and Ephemera - Other
Credit Line
Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, Gift of Robert L. Johnson, Founder of Black Entertainment Television (BET) and First African American Majority Owner of a National Basketball Association Team, The Charlotte Bobcats
Data Source
National Museum of African American History and Culture
Object number
2020.16.1
Restrictions & Rights
© National Basketball Association
Permission required for use. Proper usage is the responsibility of the user.
Medium
ink and paint on leather
Dimensions
H x W x D: 9 1/2 × 9 1/2 × 9 1/2 in. (24.1 × 24.1 × 24.1 cm)
Title
Object Name • Autographed commemorative Charlotte Bobcats vs. the Orlando Magic basketball
Record ID
nmaahc_2020.16.1
Museum
NMAAHC
Title Sort
AUTOGRAPHED COMMEMORATIVE CHARLOTTE BOBCATS VS. THE ORLANDO MAGIC BASKETBALL
Source
National Museum of African American History and Culture
Metadata Usage
CC0
Date
2000s
Name
House, Eddie • Bickerstaff, J. B. • Outlaw, John • Okafor, Emeka • Spalding • Smith, Theron • Tapscott, Ed • Charlotte Hornets • Robinson, Bernard • Bogans, Keith • Slay, Tamar • Allen, Malik • Kloppenburg, Gary • Brokaw, Gary • Johnson, Robert L. • Kapono, Jason • National Basketball Association • Brezec, Primož • Sampson, Jamal • Smith, Steve • Ely, Melvin • Knight, Brevin • AnKara Designs • Hart, Jason • Bickerstaff, Bernie • Capel, Jeff • Orlando Magic
Place
North Carolina • Charlotte • United States • Asia • North and Central America • Montgomery County • Mecklenburg County • Bethesda • Maryland • Korea
Topic
Black Enterprise • Television • Athletes • Basketball • Business • Sports
Culture
African Americans
Geo Location
City • Bethesda • County • Montgomery County • State • Maryland • Country • United States • Continent • North and Central America • Country • Korea • Continent • Asia • City • Charlotte • County • Mecklenburg County • State • North Carolina
Online Media Rights
Use Restricted

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

Michael Jordan, Orlando, FL 1993

Date: Date

Description

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NMAAHC

Autographed commemorative Charlotte Bobcats vs. the Orlando Magic basketball

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Description

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NMAAHC

Stock certificate issued by Black Star Line to Percival L. Burrows

Date: Date

Description

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NMAAHC

Stock certificate issued by Black Star Line to Florence O. Truesdell

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 heavyweight champion was known as the “Brown Bomber”?

Joe Louis.