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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

Purple and orange striped dress and jacket with floral pattern

Date
1970s
Designed by
Shannon Rodgers, American, 1911 - 1996
Subject of
Black Fashion Museum, American, 1979 - 2007
Description
A purple and orange striped dress and jacket with floral patterns. The A-line full length sleeveless dress (a) features a notched bodice made from one panel of purple synthetic linen blend for the front and two panels for the back. There are two 6” diagonal bust darts on the front, one on either side. The full-length skirt is cut on the cross grain and features an all over pattern of orange and white painterly stipes with yellow, teal, and purple flowers dispersed throughout. Two vertical darts, measuring 3.75”, are sewn into the left and right of the skirt front. Two purple thread belt loops are sewn to the proper right and left hips. A bias cut 1.25” hem made from purple synthetic linen blend is machine stitched to the bottom of the skirt, then folded under and whipstitched into place.
The back bodice is made from two panels of purple synthetic linen blend fabric and has two shoulder darts (one on each side) measuring about 3". Towards the lower back of the bodice are two 5” shaping darts. A metal hook and eye and a 21.5” metal zipper with a metal pull separates the two back panels. [SERVAL] is stamped on the zipper pull. The dress is lined with purple synthetic plain weave fabric and the lining mirrors the construction of the outside of the dress. Three woven labels are sewn to the inside of the skirt along the center back lining hem. The lowest label is a woven blue and white union label that reads [ BCTX / 484458 / INT. LADIES GARMENT WORKERS UNION/ UNION MADE / ILGWU / AFL – CIO] Above that is a white woven fabric label that reads [SHANNON RODGERS / FOR JERRY SILVERMAN] in black script. Above that is a third white paper label that reads [ORDER / 4062 / STYLE 94412 / REMARKS] in black and red text.
The matching jacket (b) features the same all over orange and white painterly striped pattern and multi-colored flowers. The rounded collar is made from one panel and closes with a purple frog button closure. The collar, front opening, cuffs, and jacket hem are all edged with a continuous panel of purple bias-cut linen blend tape. Two panels of polyester printed fabric, sewn to two side panels, princess seam-style make up the front of the jacket. There are two 4” bust darts on the jacket front. Each straight sleeve is made from one panel of printed polyester fabric, sewn to itself at the inner arm. The back of the jacket is made from one panel and has two 4” darts that extend from the back panel of the neckline and two 4.75” waist darts at the back. The jacket is lined with purple plain weave synthetic lining that matches the outside of the jacket. A metal chain is hand tacked into place along the inner waist of the jacket for added weight. There is a white woven fabric label with abstract gold wavy lines sewn to the inner collar that reads [MACY’S LITTLE SHOP] in black script.
Cataloging Notes
This project received Federal support from the Smithsonian American Women’s History Initiative Pool, administered by the Smithsonian American Women’s History Museum.
Topic
African American
Clothing and dress
Design
Fashion
Fashion design
See more items in
National Museum of African American History and Culture Collection
Collection title
Black Fashion Museum Collection
Classification
Clothing - Fashion and Historical
Credit Line
Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, Gift of the Black Fashion Museum founded by Lois K. Alexander-Lane
Data Source
National Museum of African American History and Culture
Object number
2007.3.239ab
Type
dresses
jackets
Restrictions & Rights
No Known Copyright Restrictions
Proper usage is the responsibility of the user.
Medium
synthetic linen blend, synthetic fabric (likely polyester), synthetic plain weave lining, and metal
Dimensions
a: dress
Length (a: collar to hem): 56 in. (142.2 cm)
Width (a: shoulder to shoulder): 15 3/4 in. (40 cm)
Chest (a dress: flat): 19 in. (48.3 cm)
Waist (a dress: flat): 15 in. (38.1 cm)
b: jacket
Length (b: collar to hem): 16 3/4 in. (42.6 cm)
Width (b: shoulder to shoulder): 17 in. (43.2 cm)
Chest (b jacket: flat): 19 in. (48.3 cm)
Title
Object Name • Purple and orange striped dress and jacket with floral pattern
Record ID
nmaahc_2007.3.239ab
Museum
NMAAHC
Title Sort
PURPLE AND ORANGE STRIPED DRESS AND JACKET WITH FLORAL PATTERN
Source
National Museum of African American History and Culture
Metadata Usage
CC0
Date
1970s
Name
Rodgers, Shannon • Black Fashion Museum
Topic
Design • Clothing and dress • Fashion
Culture
African Americans
Type
Dresses (garments) • jackets
Online Media Type
Images
Online Media Rights
No Known Copyright Restrictions

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

Purple and orange striped dress and jacket with floral pattern

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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.