q2K BHP
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
What's New!
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.

✊🏾

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...

Katherine Johnson — Mathematics to the Moon

Katherine Johnson’s mathematical calculations helped guide some of America’s most important early space missions while she confronted the racial and gender barriers faced by Black women in twentieth-century America.

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

Alvin Ailey: Memories and Visions

Date
1974
Directed by
Stan Lathan, American, born 1945
Subject of
Alvin Ailey, American, 1931 - 1989
Judith Ann Jamison, American, 1943 - 2024
Mary Lou Williams, American, 1910 - 1981
Dudley Williams, American, 1938 - 2015
Owned by
D.C. Public Library, American, founded 1896
Caption
This film was a part of the Washington D.C. Public Library's circulating 16mm film collection housed at the Martin Luther King Jr. Central Library. The collection is particularly noted for the wide variety of African American and African diaspora content.
Description
A film with the title Alvin Ailey: Memories and Visions. It consists of two (2) reels of color 16mm polyester film. The film features dance recitals choreographed by Alvin Ailey complimented by voiceover narration by Ailey himself. The performances featured in the film include "Blues Suite,” “The Lark Ascending," "Cry," "Mary Lou's Mass," "A Song for You," "Hidden Rites," and “Revelations."
The first recital features excerpts from Ailey's first dance, "Blues Suite." He walks between the dancers on set as voiceover narration describes the influence of his black roots and blues music on his work. The second piece, a ballet called “The Lark Ascending," Ailey describes as being inspired by an eponymous musical work by Ralph Vaughn Williams. It features excerpts from two performances: a solo and a duet by Sara Yarborough and Clive Thompson. The third performance, "Mary Lou Mass," begins with a conversation between Ailey and jazz pianist Mary Lou Williams. Some of the dancers in this excerpt are dressed in religious garb.
Reel two (2) begins with a female solo performance followed by another solo performance by Dudley Williams. The next performance, "Hidden Rites," Ailey describes as a battle of the sexes. It consists of two duets, the first of which is performed by Judith Jamison and John Parks. The second performance in the piece is performed by Tina Yuan and Clive Thompson. Another piece, "Revelations" is performed by a troop of both male and female dancers wearing white costumes, set to African American spirituals.
Place used
Washington, District of Columbia, United States, North and Central America
Topic
African American
Ballet
Dance
Documentary films
Film
Jazz (Music)
Modern dance
Music
Public television
Spirituals (Music)
See more items in
National Museum of African American History and Culture Collection
Collection title
DC Public Library Film Collection
Classification
Time-based Media - Moving Images
Credit Line
Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, Transferred from the DC Public Library
Data Source
National Museum of African American History and Culture
Object number
2017.55.99.1ab
Type
sound films
color films (visual works)
feature films
16mm (photographic film size)
Restrictions & Rights
Restrictions likely apply. Proper usage is the responsibility of the user.
Medium
polyester film
Dimensions
Duration (Reel 1): 25 Minutes
Length (Film): 900 Feet
Duration (Reel 2): 28 Minutes
Length (Film): 1000 Feet
Title
Title • Alvin Ailey: Memories and Visions
Record ID
nmaahc_2017.55.99.1ab
Museum
NMAAHC
Title Sort
ALVIN AILEY: MEMORIES AND VISIONS
Source
National Museum of African American History and Culture
Metadata Usage
CC0
Date
1970s
Name
Lathan, Stan • Ailey, Alvin • D.C. Public Library • Williams, Dudley • Jamison, Judith Ann • Williams, Mary Lou
Place
District of Columbia • United States • North and Central America • Washington
Topic
Public television • Ballet • Modern dance • Dance • Spirituals (Music) • Jazz (Music) • Documentary films
Culture
African Americans
Geo Location
City • Washington • State • District of Columbia • Country • United States • Continent • North and Central America
Type
color films (visual works) • Films (performing arts) • 16mm (photographic film size) • sound films
Online Media Rights
Restrictions Likely

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

115th Anniversary of the First African Baptist Church and the 8th Anniversary of our Pastor Rev. Y. B. Williams and the Dedication of the Present Building of First African Baptist Church

Date: Date

Description

MORE →
No preview image
NMAAHC

Letter to Frances Albrier from G. Mennen Williams

Date: Date

Description

MORE →
No preview image
NMAAHC

Alvin Ailey: Memories and Visions

Date: Date

Caption

MORE →
No preview image
NMAAHC

Program for memorial services honoring Ira Tucker, Sr.

Date: Date

Description

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 heavyweight champion was known as the “Brown Bomber”?

Joe Louis.