MOVE is a Philadelphia-based advocacy group founded in 1972 by Vincent Leaphart, better known as John Africa, that advocated far-left and left-of-center policy towards criminal justice, the environment, and “anarcho-primitivism.” MOVE activists have confronted law enforcement in several incidents, with one resulting in an explosive device being detonated at a MOVE communal residence in the city leading to 11 deaths and one square block destroyed. ¹

Vincent Leapheart

Vincent Leapheart was born on July 26, 1931 in Philadelphia. At the age of nine, Leapheart was diagnosed as functionally illiterate, with an IQ of 79. Leapheart was later transferred to a trade school for children with learning disabilities, having never received an education past elementary level. ^{2 3}

In 1952, Leapheart was drafted into the army during the Korean War and was honorably discharged two years later. Leapheart spent the next decade of his life working around Philadelphia, New Jersey, and New York. ³

According to the World Religions and Spirituality Project, by 1961 Leapheart met Dorothy Clark in Atlantic City, New Jersey. The couple married shortly after, but Clark was unable to have children. By the mid-1960s, the couple returned to Philadelphia, where Clark began following the Kingdom of Yahweh, an emerging religious movement that combined elements of Seventh-Day Adventism and British Israelism. Eventually, Clark filed assault charges against Leapheart but withdrew them shortly thereafter and alleging Leaphart had only committed domestic violence twice during their marriage, with them separating permanently after. ³

In the early 1970s, Leapheart, then going by the pseudonym John Africa, met Donald Glassey, a white graduate student from the University of Pennsylvania who supported the former’s ideas on rejecting technology advancements like birth control and electricity as well as Capitalism. John Africa would eventually transcribe  his beliefs to into a 300 pg a manifesto The Guidelines of John Africa in 1972.

Political Ideology

By 1974, Donald Glassey had purchased a home at 309 North 33^rd Street in Powelton Village, where members of the future MOVE would live communally and took the surname Africa. Members earned payment through operating a neighborhood carwash, the house was heated using a wood stove, and the children of MOVE members were home schooled, never being taught how to read or write, as the Guidelines considered literacy an artificial form of learning. ^{4 1}

The philosophy of MOVE was based on “The System,” or MOVE claiming that human abstractions alienated people from the natural order of life, or what John Africa called the “Law of Mama.” According to the World Religions and Spirituality Project, MOVE’s theology pits “The System” against the presumed natural order of life. By rejecting human constructs and aligning with natural processes, MOVE members claim they could escape “The System’s” grip and live in harmony with the natural order of life. John Africa taught members to emphasize a healthy lifestyle as he claimed the body was central to the group’s beliefs; this would include physical labor and eating only raw, whole, unprocessed foods. ³

MOVE Members claimed to provide community services such as offering free classes from John Africa, rehabilitating drug addicts, and allegedly offer financial support for those in the neighborhood. However, neighborhood residents claimed they were threatened by MOVE members, alleging that MOVE member Louise Africa, would publicly shame them in her column “On The Move” in the Philadelphia Tribune. ^{3 4}

Starting in 1973, MOVE members began attending protests involving other political and religious movements to disrupt them. MOVE disrupted left-leaning and right-leaning religious gatherings and as well as civil rights activist movements led by Cesar Chavez, Jesse Jackson, Daniel Ellsberg, and the American Indian Movement. MOVE members claimed activists were inherently flawed, as they wanted to create a “positive change” within “The System.” MOVE members would be regularly arrested while coming into conflict with law enforcement. Eventually, then-Philadelphia Mayor Frank Rizzo (D, later R) argued that MOVE was a terrorist organization, while other city officials suspected the group was stockpiling firearms. ^{3 4}

Notable Incidents

Death of Life Africa

On March 28^th, 1976, a group of MOVE members engaged in an altercation with law enforcement outside their compound after the latter had received noise complaints, leading to six MOVE members being arrested and more sustaining injuries. One, a child named Life Africa, had been injured after his mother Janine Africa was beaten by police and fell to the ground, and would later die from his injuries. However, Philadelphia law enforcement denied any wrongdoing and even the existence of the child altogether. ^{3 5}

“Guns on the Porch” Standoff

On May 20, 1977, when city health inspectors arrived at the house, they were confronted by MOVE members on the porch with military-style uniforms and rifles. Although no shots were fired, Philadelphia police organized 24/7 surveillance of the MOVE compound following the incident. ⁴

Between 1977 and 1978, MOVE members placed mechanisms with timers attached in hotels across the United States and one in London. Although no explosives were found in the devices, they contained messages threatening the use of real explosives should the surveillance continue.  ⁶

According to West Philadelphia Collaborative History, after 10 months of surveillance then-Mayor Frank Rizzo (D, later R) obtained an order from the Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas to blockade the house, cut off its supply of water, and prevent its resupply. By May 3, 1978, Mayor Rizzo agreed to a compromise approved by the court, whereby MOVE would turn in its weapons, allow an inspection of the house, and vacate the house by August 1. In exchange, MOVE members with no outstanding warrants would be exempt from arrest, and the trials of MOVE members imprisoned were to be expedited. MOVE violated this agreement by failing to vacate the house by the deadline. The court then issued warrants for the arrest of all adult occupants in the MOVE house. ⁴

On August 8, 1978, authorities began ordering MOVE members to vacate the house. When they failed to comply, police drove a bulldozer through the barricades that MOVE members had constructed, and firefighters began firing water cannons into the house. Eventually, gunfire was exchanged leading to the death of officer James Ramp while wounding five other officers and firefighters were injured. After police began using tear gas, the remaining 12 MOVE members in the house surrendered police began using tear gas, causing all 12 of the adults in the MOVE house to surrender. ^{4 3}

Trial and “The MOVE Nine”

Following the incident, on August 8, 11 MOVE members were put on trial for the murder of police officer James Ramp along with charges of aggravated assault and conspiracy. 9 of the 11 MOVE members were convicted and sentenced to prison, for terms ranging from 30 to 100 years. ^{4 7}

On May 13, 1981, the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms (ATF) conducted a raid on the MOVE compound in Rochester, arresting all nine MOVE members present, including John Africa. The ATF claimed that John Africa was conspiring to plant explosive devices in government buildings around the United States. John Africa represented himself in his federal trial but despite the testimony from informant Donald Glassey, John Africa was acquitted on all charges. ³

Relocation to Osage Avenue and escalation

By 1982, the remaining members of MOVE relocated to a house in 6221 Osage Avenue, West Philadelphia owned by MOVE member Louise James. MOVE members advocated for the release of the “MOVE Nine,” creating disruptions such as broadcasting demands from the house porch for their release by 1983. ⁸  In response, neighbors filed complaints with then-Mayor W. Wilson Goode (D) regarding the disturbances. Despite considering legal means of raising the property, they could not at the time due to there being no outstanding state or federal warrants for any MOVE members to justify such action. ¹

By 1985, MOVE members continued disruptions and even began building timber fortifications on the property. MOVE members also began broadcasting their intent to kill the mayor and any police officer who approached their home. ⁸

1985 Bombing

Incident

Following Mayor Goode’s request for a new removal plan, then-Philadelphia District Attorney Ed Rendell (D) reactivated outstanding arrest warrants for several MOVE members within the property including parole violations, contempt of court, and illegal possession of firearms. On May 12, 1985, local law enforcement began an operation to arrest the MOVE members inside the property. ^{1 8 3 6} By May 13, Commissioner Sambor gave the occupants a chance to evacuate the house and surrender. MOVE members did not comply, and began firing at law enforcement surrounding the property. During the firefight, several explosive devices by police to break into the house, resulting in a fire that forced the remaining MOVE members to move out. The fire also spread throughout the entire 6200 block and 61 homes in addition. Six adult and 5 child MOVE members were killed including John Africa. ^{1 8 3 6}

Investigation and Grand Jury

The Philadelphia Special Investigation Commission (PSIC), led by William Brown III, was formed shortly after the incident. The commission released its findinds in March 1986, blaming both the MOVE organization as well as city officials for the incident such as Mayor Wilson Goode, Police Commissioner Gregore Sambor, Managing Director Leo Brooks, and Fire Commissioner William Richmond. ⁹ PSIC called the bombing “reckless, ill-conceived, and hastily approved.” The commission criticized Mayor Goode’s lack of action prior to the incident, claiming that he had allowed MOVE to “exist above the law.” ^{9 1 6}

In May 1988, a Philadelphia grand jury released their investigative report and had cleared Mayor Goode and his aides of criminal intent. The report called the officials’ behavior “morally reprehensible” and described the MOVE compound incident as “an epic of governmental incompetence,” citing “political cowardice,” poor planning, and poor execution. The report also condemned MOVE’s actions while comparing the group to a terrorist organization. ⁹

Post-1985 Activities

Ramona Africa, the sole adult survivor of the fire, was sentenced to seven years in prison for her role in the 1985 incident. MOVE later relocated closer in Philadelphia while maintaining a lower profile. ^{3 9} As of 2024, MOVE remains active through its Facebook profile. ¹⁰

As of December 2024, a group of former MOVE members started a website and podcast to discuss the difficulties of growing up within the movement and attempting to leave in adulthood. The group alleges that MOVE made threats against members wanted to leave or whom had spoken out publicly against the group. ¹¹

1.  “Photo Essay – 1985 Move Incident.” Oxford African American Studies Center. Accessed December 6, 2024. https://oxfordaasc.com/page/2509.
2. Margaritoff, Marco. “The Story of John Africa, the Black Liberation Activist Who Was Murdered by Philadelphia Police.” All That’s Interesting, November 15, 2020. https://allthatsinteresting.com/john-africa.
3. Evans , Richard  Kent. “Move.” WRSP, May 13, 2020. https://wrldrels.org/2020/05/12/move/.
4. Puckett, John  L., and Devin DeSilvis . “Move in Powelton Village.” West Philadelphia Collaborative History – MOVE in Powelton Village. Accessed December 6, 2024. https://collaborativehistory.gse.upenn.edu/stories/move-powelton-village#_edn2.
5. Ebram , Tajah. “The Mishandling of Move Children’s Remains Is an Expression of Anti-Black Violence.” The Washington Post , May 16, 2021. https://www.washingtonpost.com/outlook/2021/05/16/mishandling-move-childrens-remains-is-an-expression-anti-black-violence/.
6. Abraham, Charles. “MOVE: Philadelphia’s Forgotten Bombing.” James Madison Undergraduate Research Journal 7, no. 1 (2020): 27-36. http://commons.lib.jmu.edu/jmurj/vol7/iss1/3.
7. Sederstrom, Jill. “Where Are the Move 9, Who Spent Decades in Prison for Police Officer James Rump’s Death, Now?” Oxygen Official Site, December 21, 2020. https://www.oxygen.com/true-crime-buzz/where-are-the-move-9-convicted-in-james-rumps-death-now.
8. Puckett, John  L. “Move on Osage Avenue.” West Philadelphia Collaborative History – MOVE on Osage Avenue. Accessed December 6, 2024. https://collaborativehistory.gse.upenn.edu/stories/move-osage-avenue.
9. Puckett, John  L. “The Long Shadow of the Move Fire .” West Philadelphia Collaborative History – The Long Shadow of the MOVE Fire. Accessed December 6, 2024. https://collaborativehistory.gse.upenn.edu/stories/long-shadow-move-fire.
10. “The Move Organization.” Facebook. Accessed December 6, 2024. https://www.facebook.com/themoveorganization/.
11. Leaving Move.” Leaving MOVE. Accessed December 6, 2024. https://leavingmove2021.blogspot.com/.