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...

Wilmington 1898 — An American Coup

Wilmington, North Carolina once had a thriving Black middle class and an elected interracial government. In 1898 white supremacists used violence to overthrow that government, kill Black residents and drive many others from the city.

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

Letter of invitation from the Committee to Free the SASO 9

Date
June 4, 1976
Written by
Committee to Free the SASO 9, American
Subject of
South African Student Organization, South African, 1968 - 1977
South African Student Organisation, South African, 1968 - 1977
Signed by
John Akpan
Description
This letter from the Committee to Free the SASO 9 invites people to an emergency meeting about the SASO 9. The letter is white with black text that reads: [June 4, 1976 / Dear Sister/Brother: / INVITATION TO AN EMERGENCY MEETING / The Committee to Free The SASO 9 (South African Students Organ-/ ization) is a group in the United States working to publicize / the plight of our sisters and brothers in South Africa who face / death by hanging if convicted. / Although the original number was nine who have been unjustly / jailed, it is now sixteen, and one member has been tortured to / death. Along with this, two members of SWAPO (South West African / Peoples Organization) in Namibia have been convicted and sentenced / to death by a South African Court. There are many thousands of / prisoners languishing in the jails of South Africa, Namibia and Rhodesia. / The Committee to Free The SAO 9 is calling an urgent meeting / on Wednesday June 9 at 7:00 P.M. The meeting will take place in / Manhattan at 605 West 115th Street, Room 418. / Some of our activities to publicize the trial of SAO, as well as / aid in the release from prison have been: picket lines at the / South African Airways, demonstrations, forums, poetry readings / and speaking engagements. / We in the Committee are urging you to attend as well as send / representatives of your organizations. Our task is to save the SWAPO 2 from hanging, aid in the freeing of the SASO members as / well as all prisoners of apartheid. / Volunteers and funds are urgently needed. / Yours In Struggle, John Akpan / Coordinator / Committee to Free the SASO Nine]. The back of the letter is blank.
Place used
New York City, New York, United States, North and Central America
Place depicted
South Africa, Africa
Zimbabwe, Africa
Namibia, Africa
Topic
African American
Activism
Africa
Black power
Correspondence
Decolonization
International affairs
U.S. History, 1969-2001
See more items in
National Museum of African American History and Culture Collection
Classification
Memorabilia and Ephemera - Political and Activist Ephemera
Documents and Manuscripts
Movement
Pan Africanism
Anti-apartheid movements
Credit Line
Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture
Data Source
National Museum of African American History and Culture
Object number
2015.97.27.11
Type
letters (correspondence)
Restrictions & Rights
No Known Copyright Restrictions
Proper usage is the responsibility of the user.
Medium
ink on paper
Dimensions
H x W: 11 × 8 1/2 in. (27.9 × 21.6 cm)
Title
Object Name • Letter of invitation from the Committee to Free the SASO 9
Record ID
nmaahc_2015.97.27.11
Museum
NMAAHC
Title Sort
LETTER OF INVITATION FROM THE COMMITTEE TO FREE THE SASO 9
Source
National Museum of African American History and Culture
Metadata Usage
CC0
Date
1970s
Name
Committee to Free the SASO 9 • South African Student Organisation • South African Student Organization • Akpan, John
Place
New York City • United States • North and Central America • Namibia • South Africa • Zimbabwe
Topic
Activism • Anti-apartheid movements • Correspondence • Pan Africanism • Black power • Decolonization • U.S. History, 1969-2001 • International affairs
Culture
African Americans
Geo Location
City • New York City • State • New York • Country • United States • Continent • North and Central America • Country • South Africa • Continent • Africa • Country • Zimbabwe • Country • Namibia
Type
Correspondence
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

Flier for Southern Africa: The Struggle for National Liberation conference

Date: Date

Description

MORE →
NMAAHC

Flyer about the Namibia Three and International Women's Day 1976

Date: Date

Description

MORE →
NMAAHC

Letter of invitation from the Committee to Free the SASO 9

Date: Date

Description

MORE →
No preview image
NMAAHC

Flyer announcing a forum and film showing on Namibia

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 Supreme Court case ruled state-sponsored public-school segregation unconstitutional?

Brown v. Board of Education in 1954.