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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
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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.

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

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People

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

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

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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...

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.

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

Flight suit worn by Charles F. Bolden during his first spaceflight

Date
1986
Manufactured by
Gibson & Barnes, American, founded 1977
Worn by
Maj. Gen. Charles F. Bolden Jr., American, born 1946
Issued by
National Aeronautics and Space Administration, American, founded 1958
Caption
Charles F. Bolden graduated from the Naval Academy in 1968 and become a Marine Corps aviator, flying more than 100 combat missions over Southeast Asia. In 1980 he was selected a NASA astronaut and flew four space missions. Bolden was eventually appointed the 12th Administrator of NASA. He retired in 2003 as a major general.
Description
A blue full body flight suit worn by Charles F. Bolden Jr. The suit zippers in the front and has several pockets and patches on it. The front of the suit has three patches on the chest. On the PR breast is the mission patch for STS 61C and features a circular design with an image of the space shuttle and a band displaying the names of the mission's astronauts. On the PR breast is a circular NASA logo patch, above which is a leather nametag reading [CHARLES BOLDEN / MAJOR USMC]. The nametag is a dark leather with golden text and pilot's insignia. On the PR shoulder is a circular patch for the 1980 NASA Astronaut Groups 9, which features the year and a space shuttle launching with nineteen white stars. The PL shoulder has an American flag patch. There are Velcro straps at the waist and zippered sections on the arms and legs for adjustments. The legs have a number of zippered pockets. A manufacturer's tag with handwritten details is sewn to the inside of the suit.
Place made
El Cajon, San Diego County, California, United States, North and Central America
Topic
African American
Aeronautics
Clothing and dress
Military
Science
See more items in
National Museum of African American History and Culture Collection
Classification
Clothing - Military Uniforms
Credit Line
Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, Gift of Maj. Gen. Charles F. Bolden Jr., USMC (Ret)
Data Source
National Museum of African American History and Culture
Object number
2014.243.4
Type
coveralls
uniforms
Restrictions & Rights
No Known Copyright Restrictions
Proper usage is the responsibility of the user.
Medium
cloth, metal, leather
Dimensions
On form: 57 1/2 × 16 3/4 × 9 in. (146.1 × 42.5 × 22.9 cm)
Title
Object Name • Flight suit worn by Charles F. Bolden during his first spaceflight
Record ID
nmaahc_2014.243.4
Museum
NMAAHC
Title Sort
FLIGHT SUIT WORN BY CHARLES F. BOLDEN DURING HIS FIRST SPACEFLIGHT
Source
National Museum of African American History and Culture
Metadata Usage
CC0
Date
1980s
Name
National Aeronautics and Space Administration • Bolden, Charles F. • Gibson & Barnes
Place
United States • North and Central America • El Cajon • California • San Diego County
Topic
Aeronautics • Clothing and dress • Science • Military
Culture
African Americans
Geo Location
City • El Cajon • County • San Diego County • State • California • Country • United States • Continent • North and Central America
Type
Uniforms • Coveralls
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

Framed panoramic photograph of M Company, 365th Infantry, 183d Brigade

Date: Date

Description

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NMAAHC

Flight suit worn by Charles F. Bolden during his first spaceflight

Date: Date

Caption

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No preview image
NMAAHC

Business card for Larry Schulz Productions

Date: Date

Description

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NMAAHC

Photograph of Political Forum reception with Charles Diggs and J. Ernest Wilkins

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