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THE JOURNEY THROUGH TIME
BHP HOME BEFORE AMERICA 1800–1936 1937–1957 1958–1980 1981–2000 2001–PRESENT

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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

Photograph of Sherrif Sandlin after shooting Scottsboro boy Ozie Powell

Date
January 25, 1936
Photograph by
International News Photos, Inc., American, 1911 - 1958
Subject of
J. Street Sandlin, American, born 1887
Ozie Powell, American, born 1916
James E. Pierce, American, born 1890
Edgar Blalock, American
Description
This gelatin silver print depicts a black and white image of the Sheriff J. Street Sandlin, who shot Ozie Powell, and Sheriff J.E. Pierce. Sandlin is standing on the left and is holding the knife that Powell used to stab Deputy Edgar Blalock. His light-colored pea coat is stained with blood. Sheriff J.E. Pierce is standing on the right in a long, dark-colored pea coat. They are standing in front of a car in which the right fender is covered in blood. The words [Scotsboro case] are handwritten in cursive on the top left side of the back of the photograph. Below it a stamp partial obscured by a piece of paper reads [THIS / PHOTO / "INTERNATIONAL / 826 WEST MADISON STREET CHICAGO, ILL / SYNDIC [ILLEGIBLE] /THIS PHOTOGRAPH CAN BE PRINTED FOR ADVERTISING PURPOSES / OR FOR PURPOSES OF TRADE ONLY PROVIDING YOU CURE THE / WRITTEN PERMISSION OF THE INDIVIDUALS APPEARING IN / THIS PHOTOGRAPH IS SOLD TO YOU FOR YOUR USE ONLY / IT MUST NOT BE LOANED OR SOLD WIHTOUT OUR CONSENT]. The peice of paper glued to the back of the photograph contains an image caption that reads [WATCH YOUR CREDIT INTERNATIONAL CHICAGO / 14910 1-25-35. / GUARD WHO SHOT SCOTTSBORO NEGRO AFTER STABBING. / DECATUR, ALA.--SHERIFF J. STREET SANDLIN LEFT OF / MORGAN COUNTY IS SHOWN WITH THE KNIFE WITH WHICH / OZIE POWELL, ONE OF THE NINE NEGRO DEFENDANTS IN / THE SCOTTSBORO CASE, STABBED DEPUTY EDGAR BLALOCK / JEFFERSON COUNTY JAIL. SANDLIN IN TURN FIRED AND / CRITICALLY WOUNDED POWELL WHO WAS TAKEN TO HILLMAN / SKULL. AT THE RIGHT IS SHERIFF J.E. PIERCE OF / CULLMAN COUNTY. NOTICE THE BLOODSTAINS ON THE / FENDER OF THE CAR. BLALOCK WAS WOUNDED IN THE NECK / BUT WILL RECOVER. / SENT TO A AND C LIST, CLEVE. TO WEST COAST.].
Place captured
Decatur, Morgan County, Alabama, United States, North and Central America
Topic
African American
American West
Justice
Law
Photography
Race relations
U.S. History, 1933-1945
Violence
See more items in
National Museum of African American History and Culture Collection
Classification
Photographs and Still Images
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
2014.37.39.5
Type
photographs
portraits
Restrictions & Rights
© United Press International
Permission required for use. Proper usage is the responsibility of the user.
Medium
silver and photographic gelatin on photographic paper
Dimensions
H x W (Image): 8 × 6 1/8 in. (20.3 × 15.6 cm)
H x W (Sheet): 8 1/2 × 6 1/2 in. (21.6 × 16.5 cm)
Title
Object Name • Photograph of Sherrif Sandlin after shooting Scottsboro boy Ozie Powell
Record ID
nmaahc_2014.37.39.5
Museum
NMAAHC
Title Sort
PHOTOGRAPH OF SHERRIF SANDLIN AFTER SHOOTING SCOTTSBORO BOY OZIE POWELL
Source
National Museum of African American History and Culture
Metadata Usage
CC0
Date
1930s
Name
Sandlin, J. Street • Powell, Ozie • Blalock, Edgar • International News Photos, Inc. • Pierce, James E.
Place
Decatur • Morgan County • United States • North and Central America • Alabama
Topic
Justice • Photography • Law • American West • Violence • U.S. History, 1933-1945 • Race relations
Culture
African Americans
Geo Location
City • Decatur • County • Morgan County • State • Alabama • Country • United States • Continent • North and Central America
Type
Portraits • Photographs
Online Media Type
Images
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

Photograph of Ozie Powell being examined by two doctors after being shot

Date: Date

Description

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NMAAHC

Photograph of Sherrif Sandlin after shooting Scottsboro boy Ozie Powell

Date: Date

Description

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NMAAHC

Burial flag of Colin L. Powell

Date: Date

Caption

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NMAAHC

Framed photograph of General Colin L. Powell's swearing in as Secretary of State

Date: Date

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

Who was the first African-American woman millionaire in the United States?

Madam C.J. Walker