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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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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

Black open crown fur hat

Date
ca.1950
Created by
Needle Nook, American, ca. 1950
Attributed to
Artie Bell
Subject of
Black Fashion Museum, American, 1979 - 2007
Description
A black open crown fur hat. The hat is made from two black fur pelts joined with two vertical seams at the front and back of the hat. A layer of wool or cotton batting and a layer of stiff possibly cotton fabric is layered under the fur pelts. A black velvet ribbon band backed with a grosgrain ribbon is stitched to the bottom of the hat with a bow at the center front. The bow is separate from the ribbon band and is attached with tacking stitches. Black cotton twill tape is placed at the edges of the hat to bind all the layers of fabric and fur togtherer. The hat is lined with black synthetic taffeta and the edeges are stitched to the cotton twill tape. There is a fabric label at the center back of the inner hat band that reads [Needle Nook CUSTOM MADE CLOTHES WASHINGTON].
Cataloging Notes
This project received Federal support from the Smithsonian American Women’s History Initiative Pool, administered by the Smithsonian American Women’s History Museum.
Place collected
Washington, District of Columbia, United States, North and Central America
Place made
Washington, District of Columbia, United States, North and Central America
Topic
African American
Clothing and dress
Fashion
Millinery
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
2007.3.451
Type
hats
Restrictions & Rights
No known copyright restrictions
Proper usage is the responsibility of the user.
Medium
fur, synthetic taffeta, batting, cotton twill tape, velvet, and grosgrain ribbon
Dimensions
H x W x D x C: 4 1/2 × 12 × 12 × 22 1/2 in. (11.4 × 30.5 × 30.5 × 57.2 cm)
Title
Object Name • Black open crown fur hat
Record ID
nmaahc_2007.3.451
Museum
NMAAHC
Title Sort
BLACK OPEN CROWN FUR HAT
Source
National Museum of African American History and Culture
Metadata Usage
CC0
Date
1940s • 1950s
Name
Needle Nook • Bell, Artie • Black Fashion Museum
Place
District of Columbia • United States • North and Central America • Washington
Topic
Millinery • Clothing and dress • Fashion
Culture
African Americans
Geo Location
City • Washington • State • District of Columbia • Country • United States • Continent • North and Central America
Type
Hats
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 open crown fur hat

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Description

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NMAAHC

Medical tape used by Gabby Douglas during 2012 Olympics

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NMAAHC

Quilted petticoat

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NMAAHC

Ivory cotton wide brimmed hat with ties

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

Shirley Chisholm, elected in 1968.