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1973. Handy-man,Vincent Lephart (who would later change his name to
John Africa) met a college professor named Donald Glassey. Glassey
was impressed by Lephart’s anti-society philosophy and agreed to write
them down.
These writings would turn into the “Guidelines,” which would become the
bible of the MOVE cult. The two men would hold “rap-sessions” that would
attract diverse audiences and discuss Lephart’s views. Some of those in
attendance to these meetings would become the first members of MOVE.
Accounts vary about his group's original name. Some said it was
Community Action Movement; while others said it was the American
Christian Movement for Life. Regardless, the name was soon shortened
and capitalized to MOVE.
The charismatic Leaphart, whose IQ was measured at 89 and who was
considered to be “orthogenically retarded” before he dropped out of
public school, began calling himself John Africa. All other MOVE
members adopted the last name “Africa,” signifying that they were
members of a common family.
Before long, MOVE’s outlandish, and sometimes violent behavior divided
the liberal and tolerant Powelton Village community. The group's
supporters stated that they were being harassed by the police; critics
viewed them as a nihilistic cult that existed to disrupt and, in more than a
few cases, physically attack those who disagreed with it.
1973. In May, MOVE members bought half of an apartment building at
33d and Pearl Streets in Powelton Village and later took over the other
half after allegedly threatening the owner’s life.
1973-1976. MOVE members initiated hundreds of demonstrations
against any and everything. These vulgar demonstrations would often
escalate into violence and MOVE members would often be arrested and
routinely convicted on numerous charges. Much to the dismay of
neighbors and city health inspectors, the group erected an eight foot high
barricade around their headquarters and erected other types of
fortification around the compound.
March 28, 1976. There is a large brawl between Philadelphia Police who
responded to noise complaints at the MOVE compound. MOVE claimed
that in the encounter that a three week old child was killed. They declined
to allow for an autopsy on the child and later a former member of the
group would admit that the child had died “naturally” and that MOVE had
chosen to use the baby’s death for “propaganda” against the police.
MAY 20, 1977. A half-dozen MOVE members, some wearing khaki
uniforms, brandished shotguns, rifles, pistols, and wooden clubs from atop
the barricade after the courts gave L&I inspectors the go-ahead to enter
the MOVE property.
"Don't attempt to enter MOVE headquarters or harm MOVE people
unless you want an international incident," MOVE declares in a written
statement. "We are prepared to hit reservoirs, empty hotels and
apartment houses, close factories and tie up traffic in major cities of
Europe. The statement was signed with the chemical formulas for
nitroglycerine and TNT.
Later on that year, John Africa and several of his disciples were indicted
on federal weapons and conspiracy charges after the ATF uncovered 41
bombs from the property of a MOVE member's relative.
AUG. 8, 1978. Police moved against the Powelton compound, after
MOVE failed to abide by the terms of a previous deal ending the
blockade around their headquarters. MOVE members told the police that
"A lot of your wives will be wearing black tonight."
MOVE members open fired and veteran police Officer James J. Ramp
was shot dead at age 52. Three other officers and four firefighters were
wounded. No MOVE members were killed in the assault, but one, Delbert
Africa, was brutally attacked when he climbed out of the water-filled
basement.
After the longest and most expensive criminal trial up until that time, nine
MOVE members - five men, four women - were convicted of third-degree
murder and seven counts of attempted murder and sentenced to 30-100
years in prison each.
NOV 5, 1979. Former MOVE member, William Whitney Smith was last
seen alive by his family. He was later found dead in a river in
Philadelphia. Although authorities considered the death suspicious, it
was officially ruled a “suicide.”
Smith was to be a prime witness in the upcoming federal trial against
John Africa and his co-defendant. A former MOVE member would tell
police in the mid 1980's that the group was “responsible” for the man’s
death.
JULY 23, 1981. John Africa and his co-defendant were found innocent
on all charges after the prosecution failed to prove its case against the
duo. John Africa leaned into the microphone at the defense table and
said “the power of truth is final.” The prosecution's case was badly hurt
without the testimony of William Smith, who had died two years earlier.
1982-85. John Africa - who was hiding out in Rochester, New York ,during
the 1978 confrontation with authorities moved into 6221 Osage Ave., a
West Philadelphia house owned by one of Africa's sisters.
Their neighbors began to complain of MOVE harassing them, of
unsanitary conditions, and of loudspeaker harangues. City officials turned
a blind eye to the chaos that MOVE was inflicting upon an otherwise
peaceable neighborhood. Neighbors reported violence and threats of
violence from MOVE upon their families. Eventually, MOVE constructed a
large bunker on the top of their home, complete with gun ports.
MAY 13, 1985. Police arrived to serve warrants on a number of MOVE
members inhabiting the house on Osage Avenue. In a 90-minute barrage,
police fired thousands of rounds of ammunition at MOVE’s fortified home
- but no MOVE members surrendered.
The standoff lasted the rest of the day, until a State Police helicopter
dropped a satchel loaded with, amongst other things, C-4 plastic
explosive. Officials elected to use the resultant fire as a tactical weapon in
order to neutralize the bunker and force the MOVE members to flee the
home., figuring they can put it out after the MOVE members left their
Headquarters.
Instead, the inferno destroyed the house and 61 others. The bodies of six
adults, including John Africa, and five children were found in the rubble of
the compound. Only Ramona Africa and a 13- year-old boy, Birdie Africa,
escaped.
MARCH 7, 1986. The city's handling of the crisis was excoriated by a
commission handpicked by the mayor. One of the commission’s
conclusions was that: "Dropping a bomb on an occupied rowhouse was
unconscionable,".
APRIL 15, 1986. Ramona Africa was convicted of riot and conspiracy
and sentenced to 16 months to seven years in prison for her role in the
MOVE instigated conflict. The sentence began with the day she was taken
into custody, May 13.
1988. In May, a city grand jury concluded its investigation, but brought no
charges, viewing the city's decisions as a chain of tragic mistakes with
unintended consequences. In September, a federal grand jury also
elected not to bring charges against any city officials.
JUNE 1990. The city settled claims filed by parents of the slain MOVE
children with a payment of $2.5 million. MOVE's lawyers got $840,000 of
that; the rest was distributed in annuities and lump-sum payments to the
parents - all but one of whom were in jail. The city had already spent more
than $15 million to rebuild the neighborhood destroyed in the fire.
APRIL 1991. The city agreed to pay $840,000 to Birdie Africa, now
known as Michael Ward and living with his father. Both he and his father
will also receive monthly payments starting at $1,000 and increasing
steadily for the rest of their lives.
JUNE-JULY 1991. MOVE paid $265,000 in cash for two three-story
houses in the 4500 block of Kingsessing Avenue in West Philadelphia.
According to MOVE member Alberta Africa, money to purchase the
home came from the city settlement.
MARCH 26, 1992. A federal magistrate recommended that a trial be held
in Ramona Africa's civil suit seeking damages for the 1985 debacle. The
case then was in the hands of a district court judge, who was to rule on
whether it will proceed.
MAY 13, 1992. Ramona Africa “maxed out” her sentence and was
released to a great amount of media exposure. She was whisked from
prison by stretch limousine.
JUNE 1996. Eleven years after a police bomb turned a West
Philadelphia block into a smoking ruin, a federal jury found that authorities
used excessive force against MOVE and ordered the city to pay $1.5
million in damages. The city appealed the decision.
JULY 1997. The final legal costs for the MOVE civil trial was tallied with
cash-strapped Philadelphian’s having to foot a $1.4 million bill.
SEPT 1998. The three judges of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third
Circuit ruled unanimously that the official decision to drop a bomb on a
rooftop ``bunker'' on the MOVE house constituted the use of ``excessive
force'' to arrest Africa and violated her rights under the Constitution's
Fourth Amendment.
APRIL 1999. MOVE front group, International Concerned Family and
Friends of Mumia Abu-Jamal, which is headed by MOVE member Pam
Africa, was under fire for possibly skirting federal tax laws in its fund-
raising efforts on behalf of convicted murder and MOVE supporter Mumia
Abu-Jamal.
2001. MOVE waged a campaign against the former husband of Alberta
Africa, John Gilbride. Gilbride was fighting through the court system to be
able to have visitation and custody rights for his son with Alberta. MOVE
attempted to have him fired from his job and even went as far as to picket
Gilbride’s parent’s neighborhood in Virginia.
SEPT 2002. Ex-MOVE supporter, John Gilbride was shot and killed in
front of his apartment just hours before he was to have his first
unsupervised visit with his young son. It was a visit that his ex-wife and
current MOVE leader, Alberta Africa vowed would never occur.
SEPT 2003. One year after their son was killed, the parents of John
Gilbride came forward to refute the rumors spread by MOVE that their son
had a gambling problem and state emphatically that their son was, in fact,
dead (MOVE had been telling the media and their supporters that they
believed that Gilbride had faked his own death).
SEPT 2004. Former MOVE supporters Lori and Tony Allen told the story
of their involvement with MOVE in the Philadelphia Inquirer. The article hit
the front page.
JANUARY 2005. Tony Allen started a weblog that, amongst other things,
suggested that MOVE had some kind of involvement with the death of
John Gilbride.
