MOVE Bombing in Philadelphia

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Ramona Africa, the only adult survivor of the MOVE Bombing, speaks at a press conference with activist Abdul-Aliy Muhammad outside the Penn Museum in August 2023, alleging that a museum curator who had retained remains of MOVE victims kept more remains than she told investigators.

Philadelphia News

Penn says it has found more human remains from the MOVE bombing at its museum

The remains matched records for Delisha Africa, who was 12 when she was killed with 10 other members of the Black liberation and activist group MOVE, the museum said.

Firefighters work to extinguish a fire on the 4500 block of Kingsessing Avenue in Philadelphia on Thursday, Sept. 14, 2023.

Philadelphia News

MOVE house in West Philly damaged by fire

A Philadelphia firefighter walks down a burned out Osage Avenue days after the MOVE confrontation in May 1985.

Philadelphia keeps revisiting MOVE bombing history because we never truly learned it

Akela Lacy, For The Inquirer

Scores of rowhouses burn in a fire in the West Philadelphia neighborhood where police dropped a bomb on MOVE's home on May 13, 1985.

Communities traumatized by MOVE bombing still need help to fully heal

Clara Whaley Perkins, For The Inquirer

Mayor Jim Kenney speaks at a press conference on the operations of the Esperanza Community Vaccination Center in North Philadelphia on April 9.

Investigation into MOVE remains will go ‘as deep as we can,’ Kenney says, vowing to reform Medical Examiner’s Office

Laura McCrystal

From Our Archives

Mayor Wilson Goode can’t disclaim responsibility for MOVE bombingLouise James, 1990
The mystery of the C-4 explosive remains unsolved Edwin Guthman, 1986
Who was John Africa?Craig R. McCoy, 1986
How the bomb decision was madeRon Wolf, William K. Marimow, Steve Lopez, and John Woestendiek, 1985
Cop’s death in clash was a sparkKitty Caparella, 2010
MOVE panel airs its findingsLarry Eichel, 1986
‘I am sorry,’ Goode tells city in move talkRussell Cooke, 1986

Mike Africa, Jr. pauses as he becomes emotional while addressing a protest in front of the Penn Museum over its handling of human remains from the MOVE bombing.

The disrespectful handling of the MOVE victims’ remains by the city and Penn merits more investigation

Jenice Armstrong | Columnist

Consuewella Africa, 69, lost two daughters, Katricia, 13, and Vanetta, 11, in the MOVE bombing on May 13, 1985. She addressed supporters Saturday at Cobbs Creek Park during an observation of the 36th anniversary of the bombing that killed 11 people, including five children.

Philly Mayor Jim Kenney issues ‘next steps’ in MOVE bombing redress and mishandling of victims’ remains

Consuewella Dotson Africa of MOVE, (center), during a rally at Cobbs Creek Park for the 36th anniversary of the MOVE bombing. She's flanked by Eddie Africa (left) and Janine Phillips Africa (right). Consuewella lost her two daughters, Katricia, 13, and Vanetta, 11, in the police bombing while she was still in prison. Janine lost her son, Phil, 11.

Mothers of children who died in the MOVE bombing find no comfort in city discovery that human remains were not destroyed

Thomas Farley (left), Health Commissioner, Philadelphia Department of Public Health, and Mayor Kenney listen during a Health Department press conference at the Fire Department's Emergency Operations Center Mar. 12, 2020 to update the City's response to COVID-19 novel coronavirus in Philadelphia.

Philly says it found the remains of the MOVE bombing victims it thought it had cremated and discarded

Sean Collins Walsh, Laura McCrystal, and Aubrey Whelan

Mike Africa, Jr. pauses as he becomes emotional while addressing a protest in front of the Penn Museum over its handling of human remains from the MOVE bombing.

The disrespectful handling of the MOVE victims’ remains by the city and Penn merits more investigation

Jenice Armstrong | Columnist

Consuewella Africa, 69, lost two daughters, Katricia, 13, and Vanetta, 11, in the MOVE bombing on May 13, 1985. She addressed supporters Saturday at Cobbs Creek Park during an observation of the 36th anniversary of the bombing that killed 11 people, including five children.

Philly Mayor Jim Kenney issues ‘next steps’ in MOVE bombing redress and mishandling of victims’ remains

Consuewella Dotson Africa of MOVE, (center), during a rally at Cobbs Creek Park for the 36th anniversary of the MOVE bombing. She's flanked by Eddie Africa (left) and Janine Phillips Africa (right). Consuewella lost her two daughters, Katricia, 13, and Vanetta, 11, in the police bombing while she was still in prison. Janine lost her son, Phil, 11.

Mothers of children who died in the MOVE bombing find no comfort in city discovery that human remains were not destroyed

Thomas Farley (left), Health Commissioner, Philadelphia Department of Public Health, and Mayor Kenney listen during a Health Department press conference at the Fire Department's Emergency Operations Center Mar. 12, 2020 to update the City's response to COVID-19 novel coronavirus in Philadelphia.

Philly says it found the remains of the MOVE bombing victims it thought it had cremated and discarded

Sean Collins Walsh, Laura McCrystal, and Aubrey Whelan

Philadelphians gather and march on Osage Avenue on MOVE Day of Remembrance

Thirty-six years after Philadelphia police dropped a bomb on the MOVE rowhouse in Cobbs Creek, residents gather on the first official Day of Remembrance.

Kristen Balderas

Philadelphia Health Commissioner Thomas Farley stands during a news conference about the coronavirus in Philadelphia's Franklin Square on Tuesday, Sept. 22, 2020.

The latest mishandling of MOVE remains is an outrage — and an opportunity

Only unrelenting public pressure can truly transform reckonings from apologies to atonement, from plans to deeds, from trauma to the kind of truths that can lead to some healing.

Helen Ubiñas | Columnist

Philadelphia Health Commissioner Thomas Farley in March 2021.

Philadelphia News

Philly health commissioner resigns over cremating MOVE victims without telling family; Kenney apologizes

“Instead of fully identifying those remains and returning them to the family,” Mayor Jim Kenney said in a statement, Thomas Farley “made a decision to cremate and dispose of them.”

Laura McCrystal, Aubrey Whelan, and Oona Goodin-Smith

MOVE member Pam Africa leads a group along the 6200 block of Osage Avenue in West Philadelphia on Thursday, the 36th anniversary of the MOVE bombing and the city of Philadelphia's first official day of remembrance for MOVE.

Philadelphia News

On the anniversary of MOVE bombing, fresh pain and calls for accountability on Osage Avenue

The march marked the day police dropped a bomb on a West Philly house in 1985, killing 11 people, and came on the day Philadelphia’s health commissioner resigned over mishandling remains.

Oona Goodin-Smith

Penn faces backlash for handling of MOVE remains

Penn faces backlash for the handling of MOVE remains.

Lauren Schneiderman

Looking back

From our archives

Philadelphia firefighters pour water on the burning homes on the south side of Pine St. late on May 13, 1985. The entire south side of Pine Street and all the 6200 block of Osage Avenue was destroyed.

MOVE house is bombed; blaze involves 60 homes | 1985

More than 60 buildings were destroyed or damaged in West Philadelphia yesterday as one of the worst residential blazes in the city's history burned out of control.

Paul Nussbaum, Thomas J. Gibbons Jr., and Henry Goldman

42 seconds after the drop, the bomb explodes on the roof of the MOVE house followed by secondary explosions and a fire.

How the bomb decision was made | 1985

Ron Wolf, William K. Marimow, Steve Lopez, and John Woestendiek

The MOVE Commission releases its findings at a WHYY news conference on March 6, 1986. In foreground, commission member Charles Bowser, an attorney, is speaking.

MOVE panel airs its findings | 1986

Larry Eichel

Mayor W. Wilson Goode listens to testimony before the MOVE commission in 1985, as Fire Commissioner Richmond and Police Comm. Sambor discuss the decision (or lack of it) to “let the bunker burn.”

‘I am sorry,’ Goode tells city in MOVE talk | 1986

Russell Cooke

A Philadelphia firefighter walks down a burned out Osage Avenue days after the MOVE confrontation in May 1985.

MOVE jury urges no charges but condemns officials’ actions | 1988

Thomas Ferrick Jr.

Who was John Africa? | 1986

Craig R. McCoy

City ordered to pay $1.5 million to plaintiffs in MOVE bombing | 1996

Craig R. McCoy and Richard Jones

May 13, 1985: The day that forever changed the city | 2005

Larry Eichel

Cop’s death in clash was a spark | 2010

Kitty Caparella, Philadelphia Daily News

Who was John Africa? | 1986

Craig R. McCoy

City ordered to pay $1.5 million to plaintiffs in MOVE bombing | 1996

Craig R. McCoy and Richard Jones

May 13, 1985: The day that forever changed the city | 2005

Larry Eichel

Cop’s death in clash was a spark | 2010

Kitty Caparella, Philadelphia Daily News

Opinion from our archives

A charred piano sits on the front porch of an Osage Ave. home two days after the MOVE bombing.

MOVE incident: Philadelphia has an image problem | 1985

Claude Lewis, Inquirer Editorial Board

Police helicopter dropping the bomb on the MOVE rowhouse in Philadelphia in May 1985. Image captured from television footage shot by WCAU-TV.

The mystery of the C-4 explosive remains unsolved | 1986

Edwin Guthman

Mayor W. Wilson Goode addressed reporters as work began on rebuilding the West Philadelphia homes destroyed in the May 13, 1985, MOVE confrontation.

Mayor Wilson Goode can’t disclaim responsibility for MOVE bombing | 1990

Louise James, Philadelphia Daily News, For The Inquirer

Neighbors gather while a block burns after police bombed MOVE. The blaze on May 13, 1985, left 11 dead, 61 homes destroyed, and 250 people homeless.

A crime unpunished and largely forgotten | 2010

Clark DeLeon

A charred piano sits on the front porch of an Osage Ave. home two days after the MOVE bombing.

MOVE incident: Philadelphia has an image problem | 1985

Claude Lewis, Inquirer Editorial Board

Police helicopter dropping the bomb on the MOVE rowhouse in Philadelphia in May 1985. Image captured from television footage shot by WCAU-TV.

The mystery of the C-4 explosive remains unsolved | 1986

Edwin Guthman

Mayor W. Wilson Goode addressed reporters as work began on rebuilding the West Philadelphia homes destroyed in the May 13, 1985, MOVE confrontation.

Mayor Wilson Goode can’t disclaim responsibility for MOVE bombing | 1990

Louise James, Philadelphia Daily News, For The Inquirer

Neighbors gather while a block burns after police bombed MOVE. The blaze on May 13, 1985, left 11 dead, 61 homes destroyed, and 250 people homeless.

A crime unpunished and largely forgotten | 2010

Clark DeLeon

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