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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

Police Gazette Championship Belt and presentation case awarded to Ezzard Charles

Date
1948
Issued by
National Police Gazette, American, 1845 - 1977
Received by
Ezzard Mack Charles, American, 1921 - 1975
Manufactured by
Unidentified
Description
Copper alloy boxing championship belt with presentation case awarded to Ezzard Charles in 1948. Consists of large central plate and four plates either side. Central plate has circular photo of Ezzard Charles above which is an eagle with outstretched wings flanked on both sides by US, British and what might be French flags. Flags are enameled. The top of the plate has detached circular element with clear colored stones (possible paste or glass) encompassing the head of a wolf. The eagle carries a banner that reads [POLICE GAZETTE HEAVY WEIGHT CHAMPION PRIZE RING BELT OF THE WORLD]. At bottom of the central plate is a banner that reads [PRESENTED BY H. H. ROSWELL POLICE GAZETTE / 1948].
Looking left of the central plate the first plate depicts a boxer in raised relief, next is an English rose, next is a US shield with eagle and the final plate is engraved with previous recipients of the award. Attached to the final plate is a clasp with two holes for fastening the belt. Looking right of central plate depicted in raised relief is another boxer, next is the Scottish thistle, followed by the Irish harp and the final plate is engraved with previous winner of this award. Attached to the final plate is the other half of the clasp with two raised stubs that coincide with the holes on the other half. The plates are joined together with hinges with long barrels, blunt at the top and pointed at the bottom.
The exterior of the case is black with three closing clasps and a central handle. Interior is lined with dark blue vinyl/paper and purple velvet and there are four pairs of Cu alloy straps that would have been wrapped in velvet and used to hold belt in place.
Place depicted
United States, North and Central America
Topic
African American
Athletes
Boxing
Sports
See more items in
National Museum of African American History and Culture Collection
Classification
Awards, Medals, and Insignia
Exhibition
Sports: Leveling the Playing Field
On View
NMAAHC (1400 Constitution Ave NW), National Mall Location, Community/Third Floor, 3 052
Credit Line
Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, Gift of Deborah Charles in loving memory of Ezzard Charles
Data Source
National Museum of African American History and Culture
Object number
2017.28.2.1-.2
Type
belts (costume accessories)
cases (containers)
gelatin silver prints
Restrictions & Rights
No Known Copyright Restrictions
Proper usage is the responsibility of the user.
Medium
belt: copper alloy, enamel
photograph: silver and photographic gelatin on photographic paper
case: copper alloy, vinyl, cardboard
Dimensions
H x W x D (Belt): 9 3/4 × 41 3/4 × 1 in. (24.8 × 106 × 2.5 cm)
H x W x D (Case): 3 × 45 × 12 in. (7.6 × 114.3 × 30.5 cm)
Title
Object Name • Police Gazette Championship Belt and presentation case awarded to Ezzard Charles
Record ID
nmaahc_2017.28.2.1-.2
Museum
NMAAHC
Title Sort
POLICE GAZETTE CHAMPIONSHIP BELT AND PRESENTATION CASE AWARDED TO EZZARD CHARLES
Source
National Museum of African American History and Culture
Metadata Usage
CC0
Date
1940s
Name
National Police Gazette • Charles, Ezzard Mack
Place
United States • North and Central America
Topic
Athletes • Sports
Culture
African Americans
Exhibition
NMAAHC • Sports: Leveling the Playing Field
Geo Location
Country • United States • Continent • North and Central America
Type
Belts (costume accessories) • Photographs • Cases (containers)
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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Marriage license for Gaston Hall and Dido Howard from Talbot County, Georgia

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NMAAHC

Police Gazette Championship Belt and presentation case awarded to Ezzard Charles

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Description

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"Proposal for Republishing by Subscription, Poems by Phillis Wheatley..." in Massachusetts Spy: Or, The Worcester Gazette Vol. XX No. 956

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Alexandria Daily Gazette, Commerical and Political, Vol. XII, No. 3595

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

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

The Greenwood District.