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...

Ruler of the Mali Empire in the 14th century

Mansa Musa was the ruler of the Mali Empire in West Africa. Details recorded here should be sourced; unknown information is left blank.

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

Broadside for the auction of 10 enslaved families in New Orleans

Date
1855
Printed by
Unidentified
Subject of
J. A. Beard, English, born 1806
J. A. Beard and May, American
General William Henry Bailey, American, 1804 - 1878
President Thomas Jefferson, American, 1743 - 1826
Theodore O. Stark, American, born 1820
Description
A single-sheet broadside printed in black ink on wood pulp paper. The broadside is an announcement for a slave auction that took place on January 29, 1855 in New Orleans, Louisiana. Written at the top of the broadside in bold lettering is [56 VERY CHOICE / Cotton Plantation SLAVES, / MECHANICS, / SEAMSTRESSES, COOKS, &C.] Between two bold parallel lines printed in smaller lettering is [By J. A. BEARD & MAY. J. A. Beard, Auctioneer]. Below the bottom line printed in the same size font is [WILL BE SOLD AT AUCTION, / ON MONDAY, JANUARY 29, 1855, / At 12 o’Clock, at Banks’ Arcade, / WITHOUT RESERVE, / The following list of choice and Valuable SLAVES, from the Plantation of Gen. W. BAILEY, / Lake Providence, La., viz:]. Printed below this are the names, ages and skills of the enslaved people being auctioned. Skills and occupations listed include cotton picker, ox driver, slave driver, seamstress, ironer, carpenter, cooper, cotton gin hand, midwife, and field hand. There are fifty-six people listed in two columns, organized by family units with ten families total listed.
The enslaved persons to be auctioned are listed as follows:
One Family:
Big Henry, 21
Amy, 18
Little Henry, 16
Boston, 26
Little Milly, 19
Family
Stephen, 24
Big Fanny, 24
Writ Henry, 20 mo.
Caswell, 30
Aggy, 30
Fayette Henry, 5
Stanhope McLanhan, 2
Big Jim, 25
Ann Randolph, 22
George, 26
Little Fanny, 23
Roderick Dhu, 4
Peter, 47
Harriet, 22
Thomas Jefferson, 3
Jack, 50
Dolly, 21
______
Nelson, 28
Jorden, 19
Addison, 18
Sam, 18
Washington, 16
Dick, 20
Charles, 19
John, 23
One Family
Edward, 19
Margaret, 18
Jenny Lind, 2
Unidentified infant, 3 mo.
Big William, 20
Jim Henry, 20
Hoyt, 12
William Nelson, 14
Jessee, 20
Caroline, 17
Amanda, 18
Mary Pate, 18
Yellow Mary, 18
Dinah, 45
Phillis, 20
Nancy, 17
Mary Caswell, 12
Suckey, 12
Betsy, 11
Sally, 11
Nelly, 52
Jane, 18
Beneath the listing of enslaved persons is printed text with the terms of sale, followed by a handwrittten inscription reading [Monday, Jany 29, 1855 Very Cold / Tuesday " 30 " " "].
Place used
New Orleans, Orleans Parish, Louisiana, United States, North and Central America
Topic
African American
Agriculture
American South
Black Enterprise
Building Arts
Children
Commerce
Cooking and dining
Cotton
Domestic slave trade
Families
Health
Labor
Medicine
Men
Midwifery
Skilled labor
U.S. History, 1815-1861
Women
See more items in
National Museum of African American History and Culture Collection
Classification
Slavery and Freedom Objects
Memorabilia and Ephemera - Advertisements
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
2009.9.7
Type
broadsides
Restrictions & Rights
No Known Copyright Restrictions
Proper usage is the responsibility of the user.
Medium
ink on paper
Dimensions
H x W: 13 3/4 x 8 3/8 in. (34.9 x 21.3 cm)
Title
Object Name • Broadside for the auction of 10 enslaved families in New Orleans
Record ID
nmaahc_2009.9.7
Museum
NMAAHC
Title Sort
BROADSIDE FOR THE AUCTION OF 10 ENSLAVED FAMILIES IN NEW ORLEANS
Source
National Museum of African American History and Culture
Metadata Usage
CC0
Date
1850s
Name
Jefferson, Thomas • Beard, J. A. • J. A. Beard and May • Stark, Theodore O. • Bailey, William Henry
Place
Orleans Parish • United States • North and Central America • Louisiana • New Orleans
Topic
Women • Cooking • Skilled labor • Architecture • Health • Midwifery • Cotton • U.S. History, 1815-1861 • Medicine • Black Enterprise • American South • Labor unions • Dinners and dining • Men • Family • Agriculture • Domestic slave trade • Children • Business
Culture
African Americans
Geo Location
City • New Orleans • County • Orleans Parish • State • Louisiana • Country • United States • Continent • North and Central America
Type
Broadsides (notices)
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

Writ of execution to collect damages issued by Wentworth Cheswill

Date: Date

Description

MORE →
NMAAHC

Broadside for the auction of 10 enslaved families in New Orleans

Date: Date

Description

MORE →
NMAAHC

Letter written by Mrs. Marion Potter to Armand De Rosset and John Potts Brown

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 Supreme Court case ruled state-sponsored public-school segregation unconstitutional?

Brown v. Board of Education in 1954.