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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...

Katherine Johnson — Mathematics to the Moon

Katherine Johnson’s mathematical calculations helped guide some of America’s most important early space missions while she confronted the racial and gender barriers faced by Black women in twentieth-century America.

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

Costume for Grind worn by Ben Vereen

Date
1985
Created by
Barbara Matera, American, 1929 - 2001
Worn by
Ben Vereen, American, born 1946
Subject of
Black Fashion Museum, American, 1979 - 2007
Description
A costume for the production Grind worn by Ben Vereen. The costume consists of a tailcoat, waistcoat, pants, and suspenders. The blue tailcoat is made of silk satin (a). It has a single notched peaked lapel with blue, teal, and purple sequins embellished with seed beads and bugle beads along the edge. A single welted breast pocket is on the proper left side. The long sleeves have a slit along the exterior seams by the writs. Three decorative metal self-fabric covered buttons are sewn along the slit keeping it closed. The tailcoat opens in the center front and has three decorative metal self-fabric covered buttons sewn to each side. A dart from the waist seam runs up to chest level on each side. A center back seam and a set of princess seams are on the back of the tailcoat. Two decorative metal self-fabric covered buttons are sewn at the waist seam. The tail is made of four panels total, the two center tail panels continue from the center back panel. This panel splits open down the center of the tail. The tailcoat is lined with teal silk satin which mirrors the construction of the exterior. The sleeves are lined with teal synthetic fabric. The interior is self-faced along the center front opening. The tailcoat is mostly machine sewn with some exceptions along the lining. A woven fabric label is machine sewn to the interior back of the coat offset to the proper left. The label reads [BARBARA MATERA / LTD. / MR. VEREEN / NEW YORK].
The tuxedo style waistcoat (b) is made of purple and blue synthetic brocade with silver metallic thread in an arabesque pattern. The waistcoat has a deep U neck with rounded unnotched lapels. The waistcoat opens in the center front with four metal buttons each containing four decorative holes. A dart is sewn to each side of the center front opening. The back of the waistcoat is made in teal silk satin, it has a center back seam, two darts and a self-fabric waistcoat back strap. The waistcoat is lined in purple silk satin and is hand sewn to the exterior fabric. A purple ribbon is sewn behind the metal buttons on the interior. A woven fabric label is machine sewn to the interior center back. The label reads [BARBARA MATERA / LTD. / MR. VEREEN / NEW YORK].
The tuxedo pants (c) are made of the same blue silk satin as the tailcoat. The pants open in the center front with a metal hook and eye and metal zipper. A self-fabric stripe embellished with blue, teal, and purple sequins with seed beads and bugle beads is hand sewn to each side of the pants. A crease is set into each pant leg at the center front. A five and a quarter inch dart is sewn to each side of the pants starting at the waist on the back of the pants. Six black plastic buttons are sewn to the interior waistband. A two and a quarter inch interior waistband made of black cotton twill and an elastic band are sewn at the top of the pants. The hem of the pants is turned under, pinked at the edges, and sewn with hand herringbone stitches. The pants are unlined, the interior seams are finished with machine overlock stitching. A label is sewn to the proper left side of the pants along the waistband which reads [BARBARA MATERA / LTD. / MR. VEREEN / NEW YORK].
The Y back white suspenders (d) are made of elastic and faux leather. One end of the suspenders is made of two loops of elastic, each loop has two faux leather tabs with one buttonhole on each end. These loops are attached to the elastic with metal hardware. A metal buckle adjuster is attached to both loops. The other end of the suspenders has one loop of elastic with a leather tab matching those on the other side. All three elastic loops are connected with a white leather cross patch. On the back of the crosspatch the text [CENTURY / VEREEN] is handwritten in black marker.
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 made
New York City, New York, United States, North and Central America
Place used
New York City, New York, United States
Topic
African American
Actors
Clothing and dress
Costume
Musical Theatre
Singers (Musicians)
See more items in
National Museum of African American History and Culture Collection
Collection title
Black Fashion Museum Collection
Classification
Clothing - Costume
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
2007.3.677a-d
Type
ensembles (costume)
tail coats
coats
trousers
suspenders (garment supports)
Restrictions & Rights
No known copyright restrictions
Proper usage is the responsibility of the user.
Medium
a. silk satin, synthetic, glass, aluminum, batting, and metal
b. synthetic brocade with metallic thread, silk satin, ribbon, and metal
c. silk satin, plastic, metal, elastic, glass, aluminum, and cotton twill
d. elastic, metal, and faux leather
Dimensions
a: jacket
Length (a: shoulder to hem): 40 1/4 in. (102.2 cm)
Width (a: shoulder to shoulder): 17 3/4 in. (45.1 cm)
Waist (a: flat): 16 3/4 in. (42.5 cm)
b. waistcoat
Length (b: shoulder to hem): 22 1/2 in. (57.2 cm)
Width (b: shoulder to shoulder): 19 1/2 in. (49.5 cm)
c. pants
Length (c: waist to hem): 45 in. (114.3 cm)
Waist (c: flat): 17 in. (43.2 cm)
Inseam (c): 32 in. (81.3 cm)
d. suspenders
L x W (d): 33 3/4 × 9 1/2 in. (85.7 × 24.1 cm)
Title
Object Name • Costume for Grind worn by Ben Vereen
Record ID
nmaahc_2007.3.677a-d
Museum
NMAAHC
Title Sort
COSTUME FOR GRIND WORN BY BEN VEREEN
Source
National Museum of African American History and Culture
Metadata Usage
CC0
Date
1980s
Name
Black Fashion Museum • Matera, Barbara • Vereen, Ben
Place
New York City • United States • North and Central America
Topic
Actors and actresses • Costume • Clothing and dress • Musical Theatre • Singers (Musicians)
Culture
African Americans
Geo Location
City • New York City • State • New York • Country • United States • Continent • North and Central America
Type
suspenders (garment supports) • Costume • tail coats • Ensembles (costume) • Coats (garments) • Trousers
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.

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NMAAHC

Costume for Grind worn by Ben Vereen

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