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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

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Events

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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...

Wilmington 1898 — An American Coup

Wilmington, North Carolina once had a thriving Black middle class and an elected interracial government. In 1898 white supremacists used violence to overthrow that government, kill Black residents and drive many others from the city.

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

Instrument cleaning snake and case belonging to Maxine Sullivan

Date
ca. 1936
Owned by
Maxine Sullivan, American, 1911 - 1987
Description
An instrument cleaning snake and its container. The cleaning snake (2013.46.29.1.3a) is made of flexible spring wire with a black nylon bristle brush on one end. The plastic case (2013.46.29.13b) for a cleaning snake. The case has a blue base and a clear, hinged lid that snap together at the front. Gold text on the lid reads: [MICRO / CORNET OR TRUMPET CLEANER / NO. 7315]. The number [165] was written in black marker on the left third of the lid.
Topic
African American
Jazz (Music)
See more items in
National Museum of African American History and Culture Collection
Collection title
Maxine Sullivan Collection
Classification
Tools and Equipment
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
2013.46.29.1.3ab
Type
brushes
cases (containers)
Restrictions & Rights
No Known Copyright Restrictions
Proper usage is the responsibility of the user.
Medium
2013.46.29.1.3a: metal and nylon
2013.46.29.1.3b: plastic
Dimensions
H x W x D (Trumpet cleaner (a)): 11 × 1/2 × 1/2 in. (27.9 × 1.3 × 1.3 cm)
H x W x D (Box (b)): 7/8 × 3 × 2 in. (2.2 × 7.6 × 5.1 cm)
Title
Object Name • Instrument cleaning snake and case belonging to Maxine Sullivan
Record ID
nmaahc_2013.46.29.1.3ab
Museum
NMAAHC
Title Sort
INSTRUMENT CLEANING SNAKE AND CASE BELONGING TO MAXINE SULLIVAN
Source
National Museum of African American History and Culture
Metadata Usage
CC0
Date
1940s • 1930s
Name
Sullivan, Maxine
Topic
Jazz (Music)
Culture
African Americans
Type
Brushes • Cases (containers)
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

Instrument cleaning snake and case belonging to Maxine Sullivan

Date: Date

Description

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NMAAHC

Handmade wood and metal washboard

Date: Date

Description

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NMAAHC

Seed cleaning screen

Date: Date

Description

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No preview image
NMAAHC

Time Out for Maintenance Man

Date: Date

Caption

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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.