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...

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.

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

Fedora worn by Melvin Van Peebles

Date
Mid to late 20th century
Created by
Unidentified
Subject of
Melvin Van Peebles, American, 1932 - 2021
Description
A fedora worn by Melvin Van Peebles. The hat is made from woven synthetic straw that has been blocked to shape. The weave features a repeat scallop pattern made from black and natural synthetic material. The asymmetrical brim is longer in the front (2”) and shorter in the back. There is a 7” long center crease at the top of the crown. A 1” wide black and white checkerboard hatband made from synthetic material (possibly polyester) encircles the base of the crown and there is a self-fabric loop sewn to the proper right side of the band. There are two metal grommets on both the proper right and proper left crown for ventilation. The inside of the hat is unlined, but a white woven (possibly polyester) hatband is machine sewn along the interior crown. Sewn to the interior center back is a white fabric tag. Printed on the front of the tag is a graphic of two blue seahorses shown in profile, facing each other. Orange text printed below the seahorses reads [MADE IN THAILAND].
Place made
United States, North and Central America
Topic
African American
Actors
Black Enterprise
Clothing and dress
Fashion
Fashion design
Film
Musicians
See more items in
National Museum of African American History and Culture Collection
Collection title
Melvin Van Peebles Archive Collection
Classification
Clothing - Fashion and Historical
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
2024.60.21
Type
fedoras
hats
Restrictions & Rights
No known copyright restrictions
Proper usage is the responsibility of the user.
Medium
polypropylene straw, polyester, and metal
Dimensions
H x W x D: 4 13/16 × 9 1/16 × 10 5/8 × 21 in. (12.2 × 23 × 27 × 53.3 cm)
Title
Object Name • Fedora worn by Melvin Van Peebles
Record ID
nmaahc_2024.60.21
Museum
NMAAHC
Title Sort
FEDORA WORN BY MELVIN VAN PEEBLES
Source
National Museum of African American History and Culture
Metadata Usage
CC0
Date
1990s • 1950s
Name
Van Peebles, Melvin
Place
United States • North and Central America
Topic
Design • Black Enterprise • Actors and actresses • Clothing and dress • Fashion • Motion pictures
Culture
African Americans
Geo Location
Country • United States • Continent • North and Central America
Type
Hats
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

Black and white paisley printed sneaker

Date: Date

Description

MORE →
NMAAHC

Fedora worn by Melvin Van Peebles

Date: Date

Description

MORE →
NMAAHC

Right teal and purple boot with purple laces

Date: Date

Description

MORE →
No preview image
NMAAHC

Tube of "Darkie" brand toothpaste

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

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

The Greenwood District.