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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...

Ruler of the Mali Empire in the 14th century

Mansa Musa was the ruler of the Mali Empire in West Africa. Details recorded here should be sourced; unknown information is left blank.

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BHP gathered finds from its connected research sources. Showing the 4 strongest Black History matches.
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NMAAHC

Dance card for the University of Illinois Senior Ball

Date
1924
Manufactured by
Unidentified
Issued by
University of Illinois, American, founded 1867
Subject of
King Oliver, American, 1885 - 1938
Lil Hardin Armstrong, American, 1898 - 1971
Louis Armstrong, American, 1901 - 1971
King Oliver’s Creole Jazz Band, American, founded 1920
Description
A dance card from the 1924 University of Illinois Senior Ball, which featured live music from King Oliver’s Creole Jazz Band. The dance card is a small, printed paper booklet strung on a silk cord loop with front and back covers composed of thin wood. Both the covers and twelve interior pages have been cut in a Swiss shield shape. Threaded through the jump ring at the top of the booklet is a gold and blue twisted cord loop that terminates in a blue and gold tassel at the top.
Adhered to the center of the front cover is a bronze medallion stamped with the University of Illinois seal. Around the edge of the seal is a circular band with embossed text that reads [UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS / CHARTERED 1867]. The band frames the school motto that reads [LEARNING & LABOR] embossed in a semicircle at the top. Below are embossed symbols that includes a plow, an anvil, and a steam engine beneath an open book. The open book has small text embossed on the pages that read [AGRCUL / TURE] on the left and [SCIENCE / & ART] on the right. The edges of the medallion are molded in a braid pattern. The back cover is plain.
The interior pages are white and feature printed black text as well as four handwritten name entries. The first page is blank. The second page has large, Old English font text that reads [1924 Senior Ball / University of Illinois / Gym Annex / June 5 and 6] and features a small, black-and-white graphic of a female flamenco dancer at the center of the page. Pages 3-7 of the booklet is a continuing list of names under the title [Patrons and Patronesses] printed at the top of each page. The next two pages, pages 8 and 9, are titled, [Dances] with numbered, fillable lines printed below. Page 8 has the name, [Ulla Graner] written under dance number three, and the name [Olga Jilly] under dance number five. On page 9, the name [Grace Finch] has been filled in under dance number seven, and the name [Helen Finch] has been filled in under [1st Extra] dance. The names all appear to be written in black ink by the same hand and the rest of the lines have been left blank. Page 10 is the name of the Class President of 1924. Page 11 features the title [Senior Ball Committee] followed by the names of 16 individuals. The last page, page 12, features black centered text that reads [Music by / KING OLIVER / and his / CREOLE JAZZ BAND] as well as the name of the decorations supplier. Threaded through the jump ring at the top of the booklet is a gold and blue twisted cord loop that terminates in a blue and gold tassel at the top.
Place used
Champaign County, Illinois, United States, North and Central America
Topic
African American
Dance
Education
Jazz (Music)
Segregation
See more items in
National Museum of African American History and Culture Collection
Classification
Memorabilia and Ephemera - Advertisements
Exhibition
Musical Crossroads
On View
NMAAHC (1400 Constitution Ave NW), National Mall Location, Culture/Fourth Floor, 4 053
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
2024.45
Type
dance cards
Restrictions & Rights
No known copyright restrictions
Proper usage is the responsibility of the user.
Medium
brass (alloy) on wood with ink on paper (fiber product) , metal and cord (fiber product)
Dimensions
H x W x D (Overall): 22 1/2 × 2 1/2 × 1/2 in. (57.2 × 6.3 × 1.2 cm)
H x W x D (Dance card only): 3 1/16 × 2 1/2 × 1/2 in. (7.8 × 6.3 × 1.2 cm)
Title
Object Name • Dance card for the University of Illinois Senior Ball
Record ID
nmaahc_2024.45
Museum
NMAAHC
Title Sort
DANCE CARD FOR THE UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS SENIOR BALL
Source
National Museum of African American History and Culture
Metadata Usage
CC0
Date
1920s
Name
Oliver, King • Armstrong, Lil Hardin • Armstrong, Louis • King Oliver’s Creole Jazz Band • University of Illinois
Place
United States • Illinois • North and Central America • Champaign County
Topic
Education • Segregation • Dance • Jazz (Music)
Culture
African Americans
Exhibition
NMAAHC • Musical Crossroads
Geo Location
County • Champaign County • State • Illinois • Country • United States • Continent • North and Central America
Type
dance cards
On Physical Exhibit
Yes
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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Dance card for the University of Illinois Senior Ball

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Print of M. G. Sishuba

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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 became the first Black woman to travel into space?

Mae Jemison, aboard Space Shuttle Endeavour in 1992.