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Black History Portal
THE BHP WIRE —
HIDDEN TRUTHS
GREENWOOD / BLACK WALL STREET WILMINGTON 1898 LITTLE ROCK NINE TUSKEGEE STUDY ROSEWOOD 1923 THE TUSKEGEE AIRMEN SENECA VILLAGE BLACK TOWNS GREENWOOD / BLACK WALL STREET WILMINGTON 1898 LITTLE ROCK NINE TUSKEGEE STUDY ROSEWOOD 1923 THE TUSKEGEE AIRMEN SENECA VILLAGE BLACK TOWNS
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THE JOURNEY THROUGH TIME
BHP HOME BEFORE AMERICA 1800–1936 1937–1957 1958–1980 1981–2000 2001–PRESENT

Explore Black History

Explore the people, places, events, achievements, struggles and stories that shaped our journey.

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Events

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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

Silver brush owned by members of the Ellis family

Date
late 19th-early 20th century
Created by
Black, Starr & Frost, American, founded 1810
Description
Decorative silver handled brush. There is a monogrammed engraved "M" at the center of the handle. This brush consists of a comb holder and comb strips of bristles. It is an elongated oval or a rectangle with half circular short ends. The outer covering of the handle is sterling silver with an egg and dart pattern around the circumference of the upper ridge. The silver covers a wooden comb holder insert housing 1 ½” semi-stiff yellow horsehair bristles. The wood is covered in thin wood or plastic veneer with circular holes for the horsehair to pass through. The silver is adorned in repoussé floral scrollwork. A maker’s mark is stamped into the side that reads [BLACK STARR & FROST.] with a tiny falcon with its head turned to the proper right. Also stamped into the side is the text [STERLING 37]. The initials [MM] or [WW] are engraved on the top surface.
Place used
Orange County, Virginia, United States, North and Central America
Topic
African American
Black interiors
Domestic life
Families
Hair
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, Gift of Clara Ellis Payne
Data Source
National Museum of African American History and Culture
Object number
2012.42.8.3
Type
brushes
Restrictions & Rights
Public domain
Proper usage is the responsibility of the user.
Medium
silver, horsehair, and wood
Dimensions
H x W x D: 2 x 1 3/4 x 6 in. (5.1 x 4.4 x 15.2 cm)
Title
Object Name • Silver brush owned by members of the Ellis family
Record ID
nmaahc_2012.42.8.3
Museum
NMAAHC
Title Sort
SILVER BRUSH OWNED BY MEMBERS OF THE ELLIS FAMILY
Source
National Museum of African American History and Culture
Metadata Usage
CC0
Date
1920s • 1870s
Name
Black, Starr & Frost
Place
Orange County • United States • North and Central America • Virginia
Topic
Hair • Black interiors • Domestic life • Family
Culture
African Americans
Geo Location
County • Orange County • State • Virginia • Country • United States • Continent • North and Central America
Type
Brushes
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

Bedframe owned by the Ellis family

Date: Date

Description

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NMAAHC

Silver container and lid owned by members of the Ellis family

Date: Date

Description

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NMAAHC

Silver hand mirror owned by members of the Ellis family

Date: Date

Description

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NMAAHC

Silver brush owned by members of the Ellis family

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.