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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

Black textured wool bodice and skirt with lace

Date
1890s
Created by
Unidentified
Subject of
Black Fashion Museum, American, 1979 - 2007
Owned by
Ann Lamb Davis, 1911 - 2002
Description
A black textured wool bodice and skirt with lace trim, possibly a mourning dress. The bodice (a) is made of a wool and viscose blended texted weave with undulating warp floats. The band collar and yoke are made of silk synthetic cream satin and is overlaid with black silk striped and synthetic floral lace. A bow made of black synthetic ribbon is stitched to the center front of the bodice at the bottom of the collar. The edge of the yoke is edged with black synthetic ribbon. The bodice has long set in sleeves that are gathered at the shoulders and the cuffs. Silk synthetic cream satin with black synthetic lace is used to make the sleeve cuffs. The lace on the sleeve cuffs and the center of the bodice are later additions. The bodice opens along the proper left at shoulder, armscye and side seam. The wool viscose is pleated at the bottom of the yoke and is gathered at the hem of the bodice which is pointed at the center. An additional band made of the same wool viscose wraps around the bottom of the bodice and opens with a hook and eye at the center front. The back of the collar opens in the center back with two hooks and eyes. Two pleats are set into the center back of the bodice. The inside of the bodice is lined with blue printed viscose with a small-scale dotted print. The inside of the collar is lined with cream silk synthetic satin set on the bias. A band of brown cotton is stitched to the bottom of the collar. Cellulose canvas stiffener is placed between the exterior and lining fabrics of the collar. Eight pieces of metal boning set into cotton canvas casing are herringbone stitched to the back and proper right panels. Two metal hooks are sewn to the bottom of the waistband at the center back. A vertical row of twelve hooks is stitched to the proper right panel along the center front boning casing. These hooks fasten to a vertical row of twelve eyes that are sewn to the proper left lining panel which ends at the center front. This panel is made of printed viscose which is waxed on the back. Another set of seven hooks are sewn to the edge of the proper right panel which match up with seven eyes stitched to the proper left side seam at the garment’s exterior. Four hooks are sewn to the top of the proper left shoulder at the bodice’s interior which match up with four eyes sewn to the proper left shoulder at the exterior.
The matching skirt (b) is made of wool and viscose blended textured weave with undulating warp floats, which matches the bodice. The skirt has a black cotton waistband which is fitted at the natural waist. The skirt flares out with an A-line silhouette. Seven gores taper at the waist and widen at the hem. The skirt opens in the center back with two hooks and eyes at the waistline and two hooks and eyes along the center back opening placket. An inverted box pleat is sewn just below the opening placket. The hem is finished with a velvet ribbon at the interior and black cut pile trim at the bottom. The waistband is lined with brown cotton which was possibly a later addition. The skirt is lined with brown cotton twill. A band of buckram is sewn between the lining and exterior fabric at the bottom of the hem.
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
Fashion
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
2007.3.645ab
Type
ensembles (costume)
bodices
skirts
Restrictions & Rights
No known copyright restrictions
Proper usage is the responsibility of the user.
Medium
wool viscose blend, silk and synthetic lace, viscose, synthetic satin, silk synthetic blend, waxed viscose, cotton, metal, and cellulose canvas
Dimensions
L x W (a. bodice): 27 × 18 in. (68.6 × 45.7 cm)
Waist: 12 in. (30.5 cm)
L x W (b. skirt): 41 1/4 × 12 1/4 in. (104.8 × 31.1 cm)
Title
Object Name • Black textured wool bodice and skirt with lace
Record ID
nmaahc_2007.3.645ab
Museum
NMAAHC
Title Sort
BLACK TEXTURED WOOL BODICE AND SKIRT WITH LACE
Source
National Museum of African American History and Culture
Metadata Usage
CC0
Date
1890s
Name
Davis, Ann Lamb • Black Fashion Museum
Topic
Clothing and dress • Fashion
Culture
African Americans
Type
Costume • Bodices • Skirts (garments) • Ensembles (costume)
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.

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Brown bodice and skirt with green silk trim

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Cream lace wedding gown with corded floral motifs

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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.