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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

Guitar with case and strap owned by Vernon Reid

Date
1985-1986
Manufactured by
ESP Guitars, Japanese, founded 1975
Ernie Ball, American, founded 1962
Subject of
Living Colour, American, founded 1984
Used by
Vernon Reid, American, born 1958
Description
2021.92.2a: A custom electric guitar manufactured by ESP and owned by Vernon Reid. Reid played the guitar on Living Colour's debut album Vivid.
The guitar has a multicolored swirling pattern with a black colored neck, bridge and pickguard. The colors that make up the pattern on the guitar are green, red, blue, and tan. The pattern continues on the guitar head. Printed on the head in black is “ESP.” The guitar has volume and tone controls on the right side of the body on the pickguard. A color image of a rocket is between two pickups near the neck of the guitar. A strap button is attached to the bottom of the tailpiece. Another strap button is located on the left side of the body of the guitar near the neck.
2021.92.2b: A guitar case owned by Vernon Reid. The case is black with white trim and metal hinges and clasps. The case has a black handle at top. The interior of the case is lined with grey fabric. The interior of the case has a lidded box for storage of additional items at center. Printed in large white letters on the bottom left corner of the front of the case is “ESP.” Handwritten in large white letters on the bottom right corner of the front of the case is “CÜLT ’86.” A green piece of tape is adhered to the right side of the case. Handwritten on the tape in red marker is “Vernon Reid.” A white sticker is adhered to the right side of the case below the green piece of tape. Printed on the sticker in black ink is “CSTCULT ’86,” and a barcode.
2021.92.2c: A key to a guitar case (2021.92.2b). The key is metal. Portions of the key are corroded.
2021.92.2d: A key to a guitar case (2021.92.2b). The key is metal. Portions of the key are corroded.
2021.92.2e: A neck strap owned by Vernon Reid. The strap is black fabric. Printed in gold lettering on one side of the strap is “ERNIE BALL.”
2021.92.2f: Whammy bar owned by Vernon Reid. The bar was found in a guitar case (2021.92.2b) and likely used with a multicolored guitar (2021.92.2a) owned by Vernon Reid. The bar is black and slightly curved. One side is threaded and can be screwed into a guitars body.
Topic
African American
Composers (Musicians)
Instrumentalists (Musicians)
Musicians
Popular music
Rock and roll (Music)
Singers (Musicians)
See more items in
National Museum of African American History and Culture Collection
Classification
Musical Instruments
Credit Line
Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, Donated by Vernon Reid
Data Source
National Museum of African American History and Culture
Object number
2021.92.2a-f
Type
guitars
Restrictions & Rights
Unknown - Restrictions Possible
Rights assessment and proper usage is the responsibility of the user.
Medium
wood with metal and plastic
Dimensions
H x W x D (2021.92.2a): 39 1/2 × 12 1/2 × 2 3/4 in. (100.3 × 31.8 × 7 cm)
H x W x D (2021.92.2b): 45 × 15 × 4 1/4 in. (114.3 × 38.1 × 10.8 cm)
H x W x D (2021.92.2c): 1 3/8 × 13/16 × 1/16 in. (3.5 × 2 × 0.1 cm)
H x W x D (2021.92.2d): 1 3/8 × 13/16 × 1/16 in. (3.5 × 2 × 0.1 cm)
H x W x D (2021.92.2e): 43 11/16 × 2 3/8 × 1 in. (111 × 6 × 2.5 cm)
H x W x D (2021.92.2f): 6 11/16 × 1 9/16 × 3/16 in. (17 × 4 × 0.5 cm)
Title
Object Name • Guitar with case and strap owned by Vernon Reid
Record ID
nmaahc_2021.92.2a-f
Museum
NMAAHC
Title Sort
GUITAR WITH CASE AND STRAP OWNED BY VERNON REID
Source
National Museum of African American History and Culture
Metadata Usage
CC0
Date
1980s
Name
ESP Guitars • Reid, Vernon • Ernie Ball • Living Colour
Topic
Rock and roll (Music) • Music • Composers (Musicians) • Instrumentalists (Musicians) • Singers (Musicians)
Culture
African Americans
Type
Guitars
Online Media Type
Images
Online Media Rights
Unknown - Restrictions Possible

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

Guitar with case and strap owned by Vernon Reid

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

Who became the first Black woman to travel into space?

Mae Jemison, aboard Space Shuttle Endeavour in 1992.