The absence of criminal charges means we must document who was responsible.
These are the individuals who made the decisions that led to eleven deaths:
Primary Decision-Makers:
- – W. Wilson Goode – Mayor, approved operation
- – Gregore J. Sambor – Police Commissioner, directed operation
- – William Richmond – Fire Commissioner, agreed to let fire burn
- -Leo Brooks – Managing Director, coordinated agencies
Operational Leaders:
- – Lt. Frank Powell – Constructed explosive device
- – Detective William Klein – Piloted helicopter, dropped bomb
- – Police officers at scene – Fired 10,000+ rounds into occupied house
All are named in official reports. All escaped criminal liability.All live(d) as free men with government pensions.
The Scandal That Wouldn’t End If the story ended in 1996 with the civil verdict, it would still be an outrage. But institutional disrespect for MOVE victims continued for decades.
In April 2021, [investigative journalists at the Philadelphia Inquirer and Philadelphia Magazine revealed] that human remains of two MOVE children had been held and used—by universities for thirty-six years without family knowledge or consent. The remains of Tree Africa and Delisha Africa had been transferred from the Philadelphia Medical Examiner’s office to the University of Pennsylvania Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology.
In 2001, Penn transferred them to Princeton University anthropologist Janet Monge, who used them in forensic anthropology courses. In 2019 thirty-four years after the bombing, Professor Monge featured the remains in an online Coursera course titled “Real Bones: Adventures in Forensic Anthropology.” Thousands of students viewed and studied the children’s remains. Their families had no idea. When the story broke in 2021, MOVE family members and the wider Philadelphia community erupted in outrage.
How could prestigious universities treat the bodies of bombing victims—CHILDREN—as research materials without consent? How could no one over three and a half decades think to ask the families? Penn Museum and Princeton issued apologies. Professor Monge was placed on administrative leave and later resigned.
In July 2021, after intense family pressure, the remains were finally returned. Private ceremonies were held. But the damage, the continued violation, the compounded trauma cannot be undone. As family members said, it was “continued violence” against victims who couldn’t even rest in peace.
The scandal revealed something crucial: institutional racism and disrespect didn’t end when the fire was extinguished. It operated across elite institutions, not just police departments. Even in death, MOVE victims were dehumanized.
Sources and Documentation
This article is based on official government documents, court records, contemporary news reporting, and extensive historical research. All factual claims can be independently verified through the sources below.
Primary Documents (Official Records)
Philadelphia Special Investigation Commission Report (1986)
– [Full Report: “The Findings, Conclusions and Recommendations“] – Office of Justice Programs
– [Commission Report Summary] – Digital archive
Federal Court Records
– [Africa v. City of Philadelphia*, 91 F.3d 234 (3rd Cir. 1996)] – Civil rights verdict finding city liable
Historical Documentation
– [MOVE Bombing Archive] – American Philosophical Society digital collection
– [West Philadelphia Collaborative History Project] – Primary source materials
Contemporary & Anniversary News Coverage
The Philadelphia Inquirer
– [MOVE Bombing Comprehensive Archive] – Dedicated coverage hub
– [40th Anniversary Coverage (May 2025)]
WHYY (Philadelphia NPR Affiliate)
– [40 Years Later: The MOVE Bombing] – Comprehensive reporting
– [Timeline: MOVE in Philadelphia] – Interactive chronology
– [Let the Fire Burn: Documentary Resources] – PBS documentary materials
The Guardian (International Coverage)
– [Philadelphia MOVE bombing: 40 years on, still no justice] – May 13, 2025 anniversary coverage
Los Angeles Times
– [Contemporary Coverage: May 14, 1985] – Original next-day reporting
– [Birdie Africa obituary (2013)]
Academic & Historical Analysis
Books
– Anderson, John and Hilary Hevenor. *Burning Down the House: MOVE and the Tragedy of Philadelphia* (W.W. Norton, 1987)
– Boyette, Michael and Randi Boyette. *Let It Burn: MOVE, the Philadelphia Police Department, and the Confrontation That Changed a City* (1989)
– Wagner-Pacifici, Robin. *Theorizing the Standoff: Contingency in Action* (Cambridge University Press, 2000)
Academic Resources
– [Encyclopedia of Greater Philadelphia: MOVE Bombing] – Historical context and analysis
– [Digital Public Library of America: MOVE Collection] – Curated primary sources
Documentary Films & Video Archives
Feature Documentaries
– [*Let the Fire Burn*] (2013) – PBS Independent Lens, directed by Jason Osder
– *40 Years a Prisoner* (2020) – HBO, directed by Tommy Oliver
News Archive Video
– Multiple broadcast networks covered the bombing extensively, footage available through network archives and YouTube historical channels
Museums & Archives
Penn Museum Remains Investigation
– [Penn Museum Statement on MOVE Remains (2021)] – Official acknowledgment and apology
– [Princeton University Statement (2021)] – Professor Monge investigation
Physical Archives
– Philadelphia City Archives – 3101 Market Street, Philadelphia, PA 19104
– [Urban Archives, Temple University] – Extensive Philadelphia history collection
– Historical Society of Pennsylvania – General Philadelphia resources
Additional Research Resources
Wikipedia (starting point for research, not primary source)
– [MOVE (Philadelphia organization)] – Background and history
– [1985 MOVE bombing] – Event details with citations
Ongoing Advocacy
– [MOVE Organization Official Website] – Current MOVE member perspectives and advocacy
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