Ramona Africa still travels the country telling the story. She’s now in her 60s, the only adult who survived the flames. She demands justice, demands accountability, demands the world remember.
Osage Avenue was rebuilt. New houses replaced the ones that burned. Some original residents returned; many never did. The neighborhood looks normal now, if you don’t know the history. But trauma lingers. Every May 13, residents gather to remember. Some can’t bring themselves to attend—the memories are too painful.
The MOVE 9 who survived prison are rebuilding lives in old age after losing decades to incarceration for a death many believe was caused by police crossfire. Edward Africa remains behind bars as his health fails.
Philadelphia officials periodically express regret. They acknowledge the bombing was wrong. They promise to do better. But promises without accountability are just words.
The lesson of the MOVE bombing is simple and brutal: in America, government officials can bomb civilians, kill children, destroy neighborhoods, and face no criminal consequences. An official commission can call it unconscionable. A federal jury can find constitutional violations. The historical record can be absolutely clear about wrongdoing.
And still, no one goes to prison. That’s not a failure of evidence. It’s not a failure of investigation. It’s a failure of will; a collective decision that some lives matter less than others, that some officials are above the law, that some truths are too uncomfortable to fully reckon with.
Forty years is long enough to wait for accountability. The children who died in 1985 would be in their 40s now, possibly parents themselves. Birdie Africa would be 53, maybe telling his own children about survival. The 250 displaced families might have rebuilt generational wealth in homes they never should have lost.
Instead, we have ruins. Not the physical ruins, those were cleared away and built over. The ruins of justice. The ruins of accountability. The ruins of a system that was supposed to protect people, not bomb them.
Philadelphia dropped a bomb on its own neighborhood. Eleven people died, five of them children. No one was ever criminally charged.
That’s not ancient history. That’s American reality.
And until we change that reality, until officials who commit such acts actually face consequences—the next MOVE bombing is not a question of if, but when.
About This Investigation
This is part of True Signal Media’s ongoing investigation into institutional violence and accountability failures. TSM has filed Freedom of Information Act requests with multiple federal and state agencies seeking additional documents related to the MOVE bombing. We will update this story as new information becomes available.
If you have information about the MOVE bombing, documents, or firsthand accounts, please contact True Signal Media.
Truth Has No Borders.
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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Research Methodology Note:
True Signal Media maintains a comprehensive master reference document with detailed citations for every factual claim in this article. This includes direct quotes from commission reports, court transcripts, contemporary news coverage, and official records. The master reference document is available upon request for researchers, journalists, and educators.
Document Requests:
For access to specific source documents, FOIA responses, or additional research materials, contact: [email protected]
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