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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...

Wilmington 1898 — An American Coup

Wilmington, North Carolina once had a thriving Black middle class and an elected interracial government. In 1898 white supremacists used violence to overthrow that government, kill Black residents and drive many others from the city.

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

Alto saxophone owned and played by Charlie Parker

Date
ca. 1947
Manufactured by
H. N. White Company, American, 1893 - 1965
Otto Link & Co. Inc., American, founded 1931
Rico, American, founded 1928
Used by
Charlie Parker, American, 1920 - 1955
Owned by
Charlie Parker, American, 1920 - 1955
Description
Alto saxophone owned and played by Charlie Parker. The saxophone consists of seven parts: a body, neck, two [2] mouthpieces, two [2] ligatures and a reed.
2019.10.1a: The saxophone body is made of brass and has a sterling silver bell. Some of the keys have mother-of-pearl inlays. The bell is decorated with an engraved floral design with text on the front. The text reads [KING / Super / 20 / THE H.N. WHITE CO. /CLEVELAND – O]. Engraved above the bell lug at the bow of the saxophone is [STERLING / BELL]. Engraved in cursive text below this on the bell lug is [Charlie Parker]. Engraved on the back of the body at the bow, below the key guard is [295173].
2019.10.1b: The alto saxophone neck is made of brass and is covered in cork where the neck attaches to the mouthpiece. Engraved on the neck screw at the bottom of the neck is [295173].
2019.10.1c: The alto saxophone ligature is made of circular piece of metal. The ligature has two screws on the bottom to help support the reed in the mouthpiece.
2019.10.1d: An alto saxophone mouthpiece. The mouthpiece is made of metal with a plastic inlay on the beak and red rubber around the shank. Engraved text on the left side of the body reads [Series GG 53]. Engraved text on the front of the body reads [MASTER / LINK / NY / MOUTHPIECE]. Engraved text on the right side of the body reads [MASTER / LINK / NY / MOUTHPIECE]. Engraved text around the shank of the mouthpiece reads [OTTO LINK & CO. INC. NEW YORK].
2019.10.1e: An alto saxophone reed. The reed has black text on the back in the center of the reed. The text is printed over and around a musical clef and staff. Text written vertically and to the left of the musical clef is partially illegible. Part of it reads [Marque]. Text written over the musical staff reads [RICO] Text below the musical staff reads [REG U.S. PAT OFFICE]. Text written vertically to the right of the musical staff reads [V-2].
2019.10.1f: An alto saxophone mouthpiece. The mouthpiece is made of white plastic. It has gold text on the top of the body, near the shank. The text reads [“King” A].
2019.10.1g: The alto saxophone ligature is made of metal and fits on a metal mouthpiece cap when not assembled. The ligature has two screws.
Place made
Cleveland, Cuyahoga County, Ohio, United States, North and Central America
Topic
African American
Composers (Musicians)
Instrumentalists (Musicians)
Jazz (Music)
See more items in
National Museum of African American History and Culture Collection
Classification
Musical Instruments
Exhibition
Musical Crossroads
On View
NMAAHC (1400 Constitution Ave NW), National Mall Location, Culture/Fourth Floor, 4 053
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
2019.10.1a-g
Type
saxophones
Restrictions & Rights
No Known Copyright Restrictions
Proper usage is the responsibility of the user.
Medium
brass (alloy), silver, mother of pearl, cork (bark)
Dimensions
H x W x D (assembled saxophone): 26 3/4 × 5 1/8 × 13 3/4 in. (68 × 13 × 35 cm)
H x W x D (2019.10.1a): 22 1/16 × 8 7/8 × 4 3/4 in. (56 × 22.5 × 12 cm)
H x W x D (2019.10.1b): 7 1/2 × 1 15/16 × 1 9/16 in. (19 × 5 × 4 cm)
H x W x D (2019.10.1c): 7/8 × 1 3/16 × 1 3/16 in. (2.2 × 3 × 3 cm)
H x W x D (2019.10.1d): 3 1/8 × 1 × 1 in. (8 × 2.5 × 2.5 cm)
H x W x D (2019.10.1e): 2 9/16 × 9/16 × 1/8 in. (6.5 × 1.5 × 0.3 cm)
H x W x D (2019.10.1f): 3 1/8 × 1 3/16 × 1 3/16 in. (8 × 3 × 3 cm)
H x W x D (2019.10.1g): 13/16 × 1 3/16 × 1 3/16 in. (2 × 3 × 3 cm)
Title
Object Name • Alto saxophone owned and played by Charlie Parker
Record ID
nmaahc_2019.10.1a-g
Museum
NMAAHC
Title Sort
ALTO SAXOPHONE OWNED AND PLAYED BY CHARLIE PARKER
Source
National Museum of African American History and Culture
Metadata Usage
CC0
Date
1940s
Name
H. N. White Company • Otto Link & Co. Inc. • Rico • Parker, Charlie
Place
United States • North and Central America • Ohio • Cleveland • Cuyahoga County
Topic
Composers (Musicians) • Instrumentalists (Musicians) • Jazz (Music)
Culture
African Americans
Exhibition
NMAAHC • Musical Crossroads
Geo Location
City • Cleveland • County • Cuyahoga County • State • Ohio • Country • United States • Continent • North and Central America
Type
Saxophones
On Physical Exhibit
Yes
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.

NMAAHC

Alto saxophone owned and played by Charlie Parker

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Description

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NMAAHC

Photograph of Charlie Parker with Dean Benedetti and Max Roach

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NMAAHC

Storage case for a saxophone owned by Charlie Parker.

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Description

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NMAAHC

Tintype of a man identified as "Uncle Charlie"

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Caption

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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.