q2K BHP
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
What's New!
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.

✊🏾

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...

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.

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

Printed paisley velveteen waistcoat

Date
1840-1880
Created by
Unidentified
Subject of
Black Fashion Museum, American, 1979 - 2007
Description
A menswear printed paisley velveteen waistcoat. The waistcoat is single breasted and has a single notched collar. The front of the waistcoat is made from a printed paisley wool velveteen, the paisley motifs are made of pink flowers surrounded by smaller yellow flowers on a black ground. The waistcoat opens in the center front with four red and gold buttons made of glass and metal. The buttons are sewn on the proper right side and six buttonholes are on the proper left side. One breast pocket is sewn to the proper left side and one waist pocket is sewn to each side of the center front opening. Cotton trim is handsewn to the edge of the collar, the center front opening, and the hem of the jacket at the front. The back of the vest is made of waxed brown cotton and has a handsewn center back seam. The back of the collar is also lined with the brown waxed cotton. A self-fabric back strap is sewn along each side seam at waist level, a metal buckle is on the end of the proper left strap. The inside of the waistcoat is lined with cream linen and is self-faced with printed velveteen at the center front opening and neckline. Four metal loops are secured to the back of each button at the vest's interior. A band of leather is sewn to the interior hem of each front panel. Lambswool is placed between the lining and velveteen on each of the front panels. The garment entirely hand sewn.
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.
Topic
African American
Clothing and dress
Fashion
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
2007.3.660
Type
waistcoats
Restrictions & Rights
No known copyright restrictions
Proper usage is the responsibility of the user.
Medium
wool velveteen, linen, cotton, waxed cotton, metal, glass, lambswool, and leather
Dimensions
L x W: 23 1/4 × 13 in. (59.1 × 33 cm)
Waist: 17 in. (43.2 cm)
Title
Object Name • Printed paisley velveteen waistcoat
Record ID
nmaahc_2007.3.660
Museum
NMAAHC
Title Sort
PRINTED PAISLEY VELVETEEN WAISTCOAT
Source
National Museum of African American History and Culture
Metadata Usage
CC0
Date
1880s • 1840s
Name
Black Fashion Museum
Topic
Clothing and dress • Fashion
Culture
African Americans
Type
waistcoats
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

Printed paisley velveteen waistcoat

Date: Date

Description

MORE →
NMAAHC

Men's frock coat, waistcoat, and shirt for theatrical production

Date: Date

Description

MORE →
NMAAHC

Tintype of a man in bow tie and waistcoat

Date: Date

Description

MORE →
NMAAHC

Costume for Grind worn by Ben Vereen

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 heavyweight champion was known as the “Brown Bomber”?

Joe Louis.