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HIDDEN TRUTHS
GREENWOOD / BLACK WALL STREET WILMINGTON 1898 LITTLE ROCK NINE TUSKEGEE STUDY ROSEWOOD 1923 THE TUSKEGEE AIRMEN SENECA VILLAGE BLACK TOWNS GREENWOOD / BLACK WALL STREET WILMINGTON 1898 LITTLE ROCK NINE TUSKEGEE STUDY ROSEWOOD 1923 THE TUSKEGEE AIRMEN SENECA VILLAGE BLACK TOWNS
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THE JOURNEY THROUGH TIME
BHP HOME BEFORE AMERICA 1800–1936 1937–1957 1958–1980 1981–2000 2001–PRESENT

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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 purse with gold hardware and front flap

Date
1950s - 1960s
Created by
Dofan of France, French
Subject of
Black Fashion Museum, American, 1979 - 2007
Description
A black leather purse with gold hardware and a front flap. The purse has a trapezoid shape and is wider at the bottom than the top. One panel of black leather makes up each side and there’s a 12” strap connected to the top of the purse with gold covered metal D rings. At the top of the purse, is a metal purse frame covered in a layer of black leather. At the frame’s center is a button that releases the purse’s locking mechanism. There is a small 1.5” strap of black leather attached to the flap with two brass prongs on the bottom of it. The prongs punch through corresponding holes on a black leather 9” strap closure that is attached at the back of the purse with studs. It comes across the bottom to the front of the purse and secures under the flap. Just under the flap is a 7” self-fabric envelope pocket. The base of the purse is made from one panel of black leather and has three accordion-style folds. At the interior front and back are two panels of black patent leather, measuring about 1.75” each. [FRANCE] in gold script is printed across the top of the front interior panel of patent leather and the word [DOFAN] is printed across the top of the back panel and above the brand name is a gold line drawing of an animal (possibly a goat or a calf). Below the brand name is metal zipper with a metal pull tab that also has [DOFAN] engraved on the tab. The rest of the purse is lined with two panels of cream-colored synthetic leather
Topic
African American
Clothing and dress
Design
Fashion
Fashion design
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
2007.3.735
Type
purses (bags)
Restrictions & Rights
No known copyright restrictions
Proper usage is the responsibility of the user.
Medium
leather, synthetic twill lining, imitation leather, and metal
Dimensions
H x W x D: 12 × 11 × 2 1/2 in. (30.5 × 27.9 × 6.4 cm)
Title
Object Name • Black purse with gold hardware and front flap
Record ID
nmaahc_2007.3.735
Museum
NMAAHC
Title Sort
BLACK PURSE WITH GOLD HARDWARE AND FRONT FLAP
Source
National Museum of African American History and Culture
Metadata Usage
CC0
Date
1960s • 1950s
Name
Dofan of France • Black Fashion Museum
Topic
Design • Clothing and dress • Fashion
Culture
African Americans
Type
Purses (bags)
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.

NMAAHC

Black and pink circular straw purse

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Description

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NMAAHC

Black purse with gold hardware and front flap

Date: Date

Description

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NMAAHC

Black box purse with gold frame

Date: Date

Description

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NMAAHC

Black purse with center clutch and silver hardware

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

Which heavyweight champion was known as the “Brown Bomber”?

Joe Louis.