q2K BHP
Black History Portal
THE BHP WIRE —
HIDDEN TRUTHS
What's New!
THE JOURNEY THROUGH TIME

Explore Black History

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

✊🏾

Civil Rights

Movements, leaders, victories and the continuing fight for equality.

⚙️

Black Inventors

Innovation, patents, science, technology and world-changing contributions.

🏆

Sports

Pioneers, champions, Negro Leagues, records, activism and excellence.

♟️

People

Meet the people whose lives, choices and achievements shaped the journey.

📍

Places

Black towns, communities, institutions and places where history happened.

📜

Events

Moments that changed communities, movements, institutions and the nation.

Enter a person, place, event, or topic.
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.

MORE →
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.

MORE →
BHP gathered finds from its connected research sources. Showing the 4 strongest Black History matches.
← BACK TO RESULTS
NMAAHC

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

Date
January 26, 2001
Caption
This photograph was inscribed by President George W. Bush to Alma Powell on the occasion of the swearing in of General Colin Powell as Secretary of State. General Powell served as Secretary of State under President Bush from 2001 to 2005 and was the first African American to hold this position. This photograph was displayed in the sitting room of the Powell family's residence in McLean, Virginia.
Description
A framed and inscribed photograph of General Colin L. Powell’s swearing in as the 65th United States Secretary of State. On January 26, 2001, in the Oval Office of the White House, General Colin L. Powell was sworn into the office of Secretary of State under President George W. Bush, by Vice President Dick Cheney. This photograph captures General Powell, President Bush, and Vice President Cheney all wearing dark suits. General Powell’s wife, Alma Powell, wears a long brown coat with patterned scarf and watches her husband as she holds a Bible for him to swear on. President George W. Bush stands in front of General Powell and to Alma’s proper right, wearing a bright blue tie. Vice president Dick Cheney also stands in front of General Powell, holding white papers as he swears in the General. All four individuals stand on the area of the carpet which depicts the United States Great Seal. In the background is the large brown wood presidential desk, a side chair, and bright yellow floor to ceiling curtains. On the white sheet of the photograph front (a) is the inscription, “to Alma with affection and respect George Bush”. On the reverse of the photograph in small black print is a credit, “OFFICAL WHITE HOUSE PHOTO 27JAN01ED p000211 -03?” The photograph is housed in a reflective silver metal frame (b). There are no markings on the reverse of the frame.
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, Gift of Alma J. Powell
Data Source
National Museum of African American History and Culture
Object number
A2022.101.1.19ab
Type
frames (furnishings)
photographic prints
photographs
Restrictions & Rights
No known copyright restrictions
Proper usage is the responsibility of the user.
Medium
(a) ink on photographic paper
(b) metal , glass and cardboard
Dimensions
H x W (image): 7 3/4 × 6 in. (19.7 × 15.3 cm)
H x W (sheet): 9 15/16 × 8 in. (25.3 × 20.3 cm)
H x W x D (frame): 11 × 9 1/4 × 9/16 in. (28 × 23.5 × 1.5 cm)
Title
Object Name • Framed photograph of General Colin L. Powell's swearing in as Secretary of State
Record ID
nmaahc_A2022.101.1.19ab
Museum
NMAAHC
Title Sort
FRAMED PHOTOGRAPH OF GENERAL COLIN L. POWELL'S SWEARING IN AS SECRETARY OF STATE
Source
National Museum of African American History and Culture
Metadata Usage
CC0
Date
2000s
Geo Location
City • Washington • State • District of Columbia • Country • United States • Continent • North and Central America
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.

No preview image
NMAAHC

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

Date: Date

Description

MORE →
No preview image
NMAAHC

Photograph of Sherrif Sandlin after shooting Scottsboro boy Ozie Powell

Date: Date

Description

MORE →
NMAAHC

Burial flag of Colin L. Powell

Date: Date

Caption

MORE →
NMAAHC

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

Date: Date

Caption

MORE →
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.

MORE →
TRIVIA QUESTION OF THE DAY

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

Brown v. Board of Education in 1954.