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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

Playbill for "House of Shadows"

Date
1985
Published by
Playbill, American, founded 1884
Subject of
Negro Ensemble Company, American, founded 1967
Steve Carter
Dan Barton, American, 1921 - 2009
Frances Foster, American, 1924 - 1997
Directed by
Clinton Turner Davis
Douglas Turner Ward, born 1930
Leon B. Denmark, American
Description
An off-white paper playbill printed by Playbill Magazine for “House of Shadows”.
On the front of the playbill in large black type is “PLAYBILL ® / THEATRE FOUR” printed inside a blue block. Below it in dramatic black font is “HOUSE OF SHADOWS”.
On the inside of the playbill, a left page features an edge to edge Marlboro cigarette ad photograph depicting a man on horseback. The right page announces the play “House of Shadows”. From the top, is: [THEATRE FOUR / 424 West 55th Street / (Near Nineth Avenue) / 246-8545] and the round Negro Ensemble Company logo. The page continues: [DOUGLASS TURNER WARD / Artistic Director / LEON B. DENMARK / Managing Director / presents / HOUSE OF SHADOWS / by / STEVE CARTER / with / TEDDY ABNER / FRANCES FOSTER/ RAYMOND ROSAIO / DANIEL BARTON / JOAN GRANT / VICTOR STEINBACH / Directed by / CLINTON TURNER DAVIS / Set Design / DANIEL M. PROETT / Original Music Composed by / GRENOLDO / Costume Design / JULIAN ASION / Lighting Design / SYLVESTER N. WEAVER, JR. / Sound Design / BERNARD HALL / Production Stage Manager / LISA L. WATSON
The back of the playbill features a Carlton menthol cigarette ad. In large black and red type it reads: [If you smoke / please try Carlton.] A small box with a surgeon general’s warning is printed in the bottom left corner. Beside it in the middle of the page are details about the cigarette carton.
Place used
New York City, New York, United States, North and Central America
Topic
African American
Actors
Advertising
Drama (Theatre)
Entertainers
Theatre
Theatre companies
See more items in
National Museum of African American History and Culture Collection
Classification
Memorabilia and Ephemera - Other
Credit Line
Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, Gift of Dr. Sandra Austin
Data Source
National Museum of African American History and Culture
Object number
2014.196.20
Type
playbills
Restrictions & Rights
© Playbill
Permission required for use. Proper usage is the responsibility of the user.
Medium
ink on paper with metal
Dimensions
H x W x D: 8 1/2 × 5 5/8 × 1/8 in. (21.6 × 14.3 × 0.3 cm)
Title
Object Name • Playbill for "House of Shadows"
Record ID
nmaahc_2014.196.20
Museum
NMAAHC
Title Sort
PLAYBILL FOR "HOUSE OF SHADOWS"
Source
National Museum of African American History and Culture
Metadata Usage
CC0
Date
1980s
Name
Davis, Clinton Turner • Negro Ensemble Company • Carter, Steve • Playbill • Ward, Douglas Turner • Denmark, Leon B. • Barton, Dan • Foster, Frances
Place
New York City • United States • North and Central America
Topic
Theatre companies • Actors and actresses • Entertainers • Drama (Theatre) • Advertising
Culture
African Americans
Geo Location
City • New York City • State • New York • Country • United States • Continent • North and Central America
Type
Playbills
Online Media Type
Electronic resource • Images
Online Media Rights
Use Restricted

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

Broadside for a benefit event at The Black House

Date: Date

Description

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NMAAHC

Broadside for the House of Blues featuring a concert by James Brown and others

Date: Date

Description

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NMAAHC

Poster promoting freestyle event hosted by BMI and Black Rock Coalition

Date: Date

Description

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NMAAHC

Playbill for "House of Shadows"

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

Who was the first African-American woman millionaire in the United States?

Madam C.J. Walker