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THE JOURNEY THROUGH TIME
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Events

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

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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...

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.

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BHP gathered finds from its connected research sources. Showing the 4 strongest Black History matches.
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NMAAHC

Carte-de-visite portrait of Col. Elmer Ephraim Ellsworth

Date
1861
Photograph by
Mathew Brady, American, 1822 - 1896
Published by
E. & H. T. Anthony, American, 1852 - 1901
Subject of
Col. Elmer Ephraim Ellsworth, American, 1837 - 1861
Owned by
Emily Howland, American, 1827 - 1929
Description
Carte-de-visite of Col. Elmer Ephraim Ellsworth shown in three-quarter portrait. Ellsworth stands facing the camera with his right hand in his trouser pocket. He wears a light colored vest and trousers, a dark jacket, a dark cloak, a white shirt, and a dark necktie with a tie pin. The bottom portion of the image is purposefully faded in the popular style of the time. There is a double-lined border printed in gold ink surrounding the outside edges of the card mount.
Handwritten in graphite on the bottom of the print is the text "Col. Ellsworth killed / at Alexandria 1861". There is a mark for E. & H.T. Anthony printed on the back of the photograph.
The photograph is housed in the album 2017.30. The album page has a triple-lined, gold border framing the print. Handwritten in graphite in the lower left corner of the album is the text "Anthony / Brady NY".
Place captured
Washington, District of Columbia, United States, North and Central America
Place printed
New York City, New York, United States, North and Central America
Topic
African American
Local and regional
Military
Photography
U.S. History, Civil War, 1861-1865
See more items in
National Museum of African American History and Culture Collection
Collection title
Emily Howland Photograph Album
Classification
Slavery and Freedom Objects
Photographs and Still Images
Credit Line
Collection of the National Museum of African American History and Culture shared with the Library of Congress
Data Source
National Museum of African American History and Culture
Object number
2017.30.31
Type
cartes-de-visite
albumen prints
portraits
Restrictions & Rights
Public domain
Proper usage is the responsibility of the user.
Medium
albumen and silver on photographic paper on card mount
Dimensions
H x W (Image): 3 3/8 × 2 3/16 in. (8.6 × 5.5 cm)
H x W (Image and Sheet): 4 × 2 7/16 in. (10.2 × 6.2 cm)
Title
Object Name • Carte-de-visite portrait of Col. Elmer Ephraim Ellsworth
Record ID
nmaahc_2017.30.31
Museum
NMAAHC
Title Sort
CARTE-DE-VISITE PORTRAIT OF COL. ELMER EPHRAIM ELLSWORTH
Source
National Museum of African American History and Culture
Metadata Usage
CC0
Date
1860s
Name
Howland, Emily • Ellsworth, Elmer Ephraim • Brady, Mathew • E. & H. T. Anthony
Place
New York City • District of Columbia • United States • North and Central America • Washington
Topic
Photography • U.S. History, Civil War, 1861-1865 • Military
Culture
African Americans
Geo Location
City • Washington • State • District of Columbia • Country • United States • Continent • North and Central America • City • New York City • State • New York
Type
Portraits • Photographs • Visiting cards
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

Letter to Samuel Fox from Giles Saunders regarding the slave trade

Date: Date

Description

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NMAAHC

Letter to Charles Humbert Marie Vincent signed by Toussaint Louverture

Date: Date

Caption

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NMAAHC

Carte-de-visite portrait of Col. Elmer Ephraim Ellsworth

Date: Date

Description

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NMAAHC

Letter to Samuel Fox from Giles Saunders regarding the slave trade

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

What prosperous Tulsa district became widely known as “Black Wall Street”?

The Greenwood District.