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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 2 strongest Black History matches.
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NMAAHC

Land indenture for the Barbados plantation of Captain Gunston

Date
March 28, 1685
Written by
Unidentified
Subject of
William Walker, English
Signed by
John Gunston, English
Joan Gunston, English
Ursula Gunston, English
Thomas Warren, English
William Bulkeley, English
James Manby, English
Description
An estate indenture concerning the Barbados plantation and property, including enslaved persons, of Captain Thomas Gunston. The property is being transferred from Gunston’s widow “Ursula Gunston” to his nephew and niece, (“John Gunston”) and (“Joan Gunston Spinster”), facilitated by William Walker, for the price of seven hundred [700] pounds. The top of the single sheet document is scalloped, the upper left corner is embellished with ornamental text reading [The Indenture], and the bottom of the document has the signatures of John and Joan Gunston with hanging wax seals and paper ribbons attached.
The document begins “This Indenture made the Eight and Twentieth day of March In the first yeare of the reined of our Sovereign Lord James the second by the grace / of God of England Scottland Ffrance and Ireland King defender of the faith Anno Dni 1685 Betweene John Gunston and Joan Gunston Spinster both of Taunton Deane / in the county of Somersett Nephew and Niece Captain Thomas Gunston late of the parish of St. George in the island of Barbados (illegible) on the one part And William Walker / Cittizen and Ironmonger of London of the other part Withnesseth that they the said John Gunston and Joan Gunston as well for and in consideration of the summe of Seven / hundred pounds of lawfull money of England to them in hand payd by the said William Walker…”
The middle of the document mentions the ownership and transfer of property including enslaved persons: "togeather with the moyety of all houses Edifices Mills Ingenios Copper Stills Woods Underwoods Timber Timber Trees And Negroe Slaves upon the said Lands or Plantac[[i]]on being...”
Written on the back side of the document at center is “28th March 1684 / Mr Jhn Gunston & Mrs Joan Gunston Conveyance / to Mr. William Walker.” On the back in the upper left corner is a small summary of the exchange of funds with witness signatures. In the upper right corner is a statement of understanding signed by Ursula Gunston. Witness signatures and a small wax seal stamp are also present.
Transcription Center Status
Transcribed by digital volunteers
Place depicted
Somerset County, England, Europe
Saint George, Barbados, Caribbean, North and Central America
Topic
African American
British colonialism
Colonialism
Finance
Slavery
See more items in
National Museum of African American History and Culture Collection
Classification
Slavery and Freedom Objects
Documents and Manuscripts
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
2010.1.316
Type
indentures
Restrictions & Rights
No Known Copyright Restrictions
Proper usage is the responsibility of the user.
Medium
ink on vellum
Dimensions
H x W: 20 3/8 × 28 1/8 in. (51.8 × 71.4 cm)
Title
Object Name • Land indenture for the Barbados plantation of Captain Gunston
Record ID
nmaahc_2010.1.316
Museum
NMAAHC
Title Sort
LAND INDENTURE FOR THE BARBADOS PLANTATION OF CAPTAIN GUNSTON
Source
National Museum of African American History and Culture
Metadata Usage
CC0
Date
1680s
Name
Walker, William • Gunston, Joan • Warren, Thomas • Bulkeley, William • Gunston, John • Manby, James • Gunston, Ursula
Place
Barbados • Europe • North and Central America • England • Somerset County • Saint George • Caribbean
Topic
Slavery • Finance • British colonialism
Culture
African Americans
Geo Location
County • Somerset County • Country • England • Continent • Europe • County • Saint George • Country • Barbados • Subregion • Caribbean • Continent • North and Central America
Type
Indentures
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

Petition signed by John Cuffe and Paul Cuffe regarding taxation

Date: Date

Caption

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NMAAHC

Land indenture for the Barbados plantation of Captain Gunston

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

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

Brown v. Board of Education in 1954.