q2K BHP
Black History Portal
THE BHP WIRE —
HIDDEN TRUTHS
What's New!
THE JOURNEY THROUGH TIME

Explore Black History

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

✊🏾

Civil Rights

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

⚙️

Black Inventors

Innovation, patents, science, technology and world-changing contributions.

🏆

Sports

Pioneers, champions, Negro Leagues, records, activism and excellence.

♟️

People

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

📍

Places

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

📜

Events

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

Enter a person, place, event, or topic.
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.

MORE →
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.

MORE →
BHP gathered finds from its connected research sources. Showing the 4 strongest Black History matches.
← BACK TO RESULTS
NMAAHC

Black tail coat with white pocket handkerchief worn by Cab Calloway

Date
1976-1995
Description
(a) A black swallow-tailed coat worn by Cab Calloway. The coat is made of a black wool and synthetic blend fabric with black satin peaked lapels and straight cuffless sleeves. There are two (2) decorative round black plastic buttons, one at each outside wrist. The coat does not close in the front, but there are six (6) decorative round black plastic buttons, three on each front side. There is one (1) exterior inset pocket at the proper left breast. The tails of the coat are rounded on the outside edge with a squared corner at the center vent. There are two (2) decorative round black plastic buttons on the back, one at each center seam of the tails. The coat, tails, and sleeves are lined with black synthetic fabric. There is one interior pocket with an opening along the inside where the lapel meets the lining at the proper right front breast. Inside the pocket is a manufacturer's label with size 46R and care instructions is sewn inside the proper right interior breast pocket. Below this tag is a union label for the Amalgamated Clothing and Textile Workers Union (ACTWU).There is a hanger loop at the interior center back neck made of black fabric with silver embroidered text reading "after Six / DRY CLEAN ONLY".
(b) A white square handkerchief folded and used as a pocket square in the exterior proper left breast pocket of the coat (a). The cotton handkerchief has white supplementary warp and weft threads creating a woven plaid design around the borders.
See more items in
National Museum of African American History and Culture Collection
Classification
Clothing - Costume
Credit Line
Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, Gift of Cabella Calloway Langsam
Data Source
National Museum of African American History and Culture
Object number
2013.237.4.1ab
Type
tail coats
handkerchiefs
Restrictions & Rights
No Known Copyright Restrictions
Proper usage is the responsibility of the user.
Medium
(a): wool and synthetic blend fiber with plastic buttons;
(b): cotton
Dimensions
H x W x D ((a) on form): 44 × 25 1/2 × 15 1/2 in. (111.8 × 64.8 × 39.4 cm)
H x W ((a) flat): 44 1/2 × 19 in. (113 × 48.3 cm)
H x W ((b) flat): 14 3/4 × 14 3/4 in. (37.5 × 37.5 cm)
Title
Object Name • Black tail coat with white pocket handkerchief worn by Cab Calloway
Record ID
nmaahc_2013.237.4.1ab
Museum
NMAAHC
Title Sort
BLACK TAIL COAT WITH WHITE POCKET HANDKERCHIEF WORN BY CAB CALLOWAY
Source
National Museum of African American History and Culture
Metadata Usage
CC0
Date
1990s • 1970s
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 tail coat with white pocket handkerchief worn by Cab Calloway

Date: Date

Description

MORE →
NMAAHC

Grey tail coat worn by Cab Calloway

Date: Date

Description

MORE →
NMAAHC

Black wig with rainbow accents worn by George Clinton

Date: Date

Description

MORE →
NMAAHC

Print of Cab Calloway and dancers performing

Date: Date

Description

MORE →
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.

MORE →
TRIVIA QUESTION OF THE DAY

Which Black woman became the first elected to the United States Congress?

Shirley Chisholm, elected in 1968.