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Black History Portal
THE BHP WIRE —
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

Explore Black History

Explore the people, places, events, achievements, struggles and stories that shaped our journey.

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Movements, leaders, victories and the continuing fight for equality.

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People

Meet the people whose lives, choices and achievements shaped the journey.

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Places

Black towns, communities, institutions and places where history happened.

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Events

Moments that changed communities, movements, institutions and the nation.

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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

Bedframe owned by the Ellis family

Date
late 19th century
Created by
Unidentified
Used by
Clara Ellis Payne, American, 1921 - 2019
Description
A Victorian full-size carved wooden panel bed frame consisting of headboard (a), with footboard (b) and two side panels (c and d) with six wooden slats (e-j). The arched headboard features a carved center crown with palmette and oval medallion elements, and additional ornamental carvings each side. The footboard has a low, curved arch silhouette. The design allows the wooden side panels to be fitted into place in the head and foot boards without the use of tools.
Place used
Orange County, Virginia, United States, North and Central America
Topic
African American
American South
Black interiors
Domestic life
Families
See more items in
National Museum of African American History and Culture Collection
Classification
Furnishings, Housewares, and Décor
Credit Line
Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, Gift of Clara Ellis Payne
Data Source
National Museum of African American History and Culture
Object number
2015.261a-j
Type
double beds
Restrictions & Rights
No Known Copyright Restrictions
Proper usage is the responsibility of the user.
Medium
wood
Dimensions
H x W x D: 80 × 59 × 77 in. (203.2 × 149.9 × 195.6 cm)
Title
Object Name • Bedframe owned by the Ellis family
Record ID
nmaahc_2015.261a-j
Museum
NMAAHC
Title Sort
BEDFRAME OWNED BY THE ELLIS FAMILY
Source
National Museum of African American History and Culture
Metadata Usage
CC0
Date
1900s • 1870s
Name
Payne, Clara Ellis
Place
Orange County • United States • North and Central America • Virginia
Topic
American South • Black interiors • Domestic life • Family
Culture
African Americans
Geo Location
County • Orange County • State • Virginia • Country • United States • Continent • North and Central America
Type
double beds
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

Ivory double bed sheet

Date: Date

Description

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NMAAHC

Bedframe owned by the Ellis family

Date: Date

Description

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NMAAHC

Will of Frederick Smith leaving an enslaved girl named Betty to his wife

Date: Date

Description

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NMAAHC

Pink silk bed jacket with lace

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

Who was the first African-American woman millionaire in the United States?

Madam C.J. Walker