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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...

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.

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

Mameluke sword presented to Capt. George Garrison by the 55th Massachusetts

Date
1863
Manufactured by
F. Horster, German
Owned by
George Thompson Garrison, American, 1836 - 1904
Subject of
55th Massachusetts Infantry Regiment, American, 1863 - 1865
Description
An etched mameluke sword and scabbard presented to Capt. George T. Garrison by the 55th Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry. The steel blade is slightly curved and has designs etched on both sides. At the midpoint of the PL side of the blade [U.S.] is inscribed in decorative letters and surrounded by floral filigree. On the PR side is a version of the coat of arms of the United States. An eagle with outstretched wings and holding an [E. PLURIBUS UNUM] banner in its beak flies behind a stars and stripes shield and is surrounded by rays of light. At the base of the blade where it meets the hilt there are two marks. On the PR side is a small circle with raised text reading [PROVED] and a fleur-de lis with a radiating pattern around it. On the PL side is the makers mark, reading [F. HORSTER / SOLINGEN] below a floral design. The words [IRON PROOF] are stamped in the bottom of the blade near the guard. The guard of the blade features the US coat of arms, with eagle, arrows, olive branch, shield, and [E. PLURIBUS UNUM] banner above molded letters [U S]. The guard is quite large where the blade attaches to the grip and narrows at the pommel of the sword. The grip itself is metal on the top and pommel, with shagreen, likely shark skin on the underside, lashed with a twisted metal coil. The metal scabbard is undecorated with a semi-circular shoe extension at the tip. It has two mounts with carrying rings on the half closest to the throat.
Place made
Solingen, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany, Europe
Place purchased
Massachusetts, United States, North and Central America
Topic
African American
Antislavery
Military
U.S. History, Civil War, 1861-1865
See more items in
National Museum of African American History and Culture Collection
Classification
Slavery and Freedom Objects
Weapons and Ammunition
Movement
Anti-slavery movements
Credit Line
Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, Gift of the Garrison Family in memory of George Thompson Garrison
Data Source
National Museum of African American History and Culture
Object number
2014.115.1.1ab
Type
swords
scabbards
Restrictions & Rights
Public Domain
Proper usage is the responsibility of the user.
Medium
metal, steel, shagreen
Dimensions
2014.115.1.1a Sword: 37 15/16 × 4 3/4 × 4 in. (96.4 × 12.1 × 10.2 cm)
2014.115.1.1b Scabbard: 34 × 2 5/8 × 5/8 in. (86.4 × 6.7 × 1.6 cm)
2014.115.1.1ab Sheathed: 39 5/16 × 4 3/4 × 4 in. (99.9 × 12.1 × 10.2 cm)
Title
Object Name • Mameluke sword presented to Capt. George Garrison by the 55th Massachusetts
Record ID
nmaahc_2014.115.1.1ab
Museum
NMAAHC
Title Sort
MAMELUKE SWORD PRESENTED TO CAPT. GEORGE GARRISON BY THE 55TH MASSACHUSETTS
Source
National Museum of African American History and Culture
Metadata Usage
CC0
Date
1860s
Name
Garrison, George Thompson • 55th Massachusetts Infantry Regiment • F. Horster
Place
Solingen • United States • Europe • Massachusetts • North and Central America • North Rhine-Westphalia • Germany
Topic
U.S. History, Civil War, 1861-1865 • Anti-slavery movements • Antislavery • Military
Culture
African Americans
Geo Location
City • Solingen • State • North Rhine-Westphalia • Country • Germany • Continent • Europe • State • Massachusetts • Country • United States • Continent • North and Central America
Type
Swords • scabbards
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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Sword from the Civil War era

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Photograph of a staged sword duel

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NMAAHC

Mameluke sword presented to Capt. George Garrison by the 55th Massachusetts

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NMAAHC

Cavalry saber with scabbard

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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.