Here are 11 things you should know about the MOVE Philadelphia bombing
Police, firemen and workers sort through the rubble resulting from May 13 fire, destroying 61 homes on Osage Avenue in Philadelphia, Penn., on Wednesday, May 16, 1985.
GEORGE WIDMAN / AP
NewsOne decided to take a trip back in time to explore what happened the day of the MOVE Philadelphia bombing.
On May 13, 1985, a bomb was dropped on a row house in Philadelphia, unleashing a relentless fire that eventually burned down 61 houses, killed 11 people (including five children), and injured dozens.
The fire department stood by idly. The Philadelphia Police Department did the same. The fire raged on, swallowing up home after home until more than 200 were without shelter.
It’s a shameful part of recent American history that’s somehow been buried under 31 years and other destructions that have fallen on the city of Philadelphia. NewsOne decided to take a trip back in time to explore what happened the day America bombed its own people.
– The MOVE Organization is a Philadelphia-based Black liberation group that preached revolution and advocated the return to a natural lifestyle. They lived communally and vowed to lead a life uninterrupted by the government, police, or technology. They were passionate supporters of animal rights. Members adopted vegan diets and the surname “Africa.” Often times they would engage in public demonstrations related to issues they deemed important.
– MOVE did, however, have a past with the police. Since inception in 1972, the group was looked at as a threat to the Philadelphia Police Department. In 1978, police raided their Powelton Village homes and as a result, one police officer died after being shot in the head. Nine MOVE members were arrested, charged with third-degree murder, and sent to prison. They argued that the police officer was shot in the back of his head on his way into the home, challenging the claim that he was shot by members inside the house. Eventually, the group relocated to their infamous house on 6221 Osage Street.
There are differing reports about the group and how troublesome they actually were. According to the AP, neighbors complained about their house on Osage, which was barricaded with plywood and allegedly contained a multitude of weapons. It has been said that the group built a giant wooden bunker on the roof and used a bullhorn to “scream obscenities at all hours of the night,” angering those living in nearby row houses. Eventually, they turned to city officials for help, which put into motion the events of May 13, 1985.
On that day, armed police, the fire department, and city officials gathered at the house in an attempt to clear it out and arrest MOVE members who had been indicted for crimes like parole violation and illegal possession of firearms. When police tossed tear gas canisters into the home, MOVE members fired back. In turn, the police discharged their guns.
– Eventually, a police helicopter flew over the home and dropped two bombs on the row house. A ferocious blaze followed.
– Witnesses and MOVE members say that when members started to run out of the burning structure to escape a fiery death, police continued to fire their weapons.
– The fire department delayed putting out the flames. After the blaze, they claimed they didn’t want to put their men in harm’s way, because MOVE members were still firing their guns. But MOVE members and witnesses say the wait was deliberate.
– In the end, 11 people, including MOVE’s founder John Africa, were dead. Five children died in the home.
– This is the only child survivor (see picture below). His name is Birdie Africa, but it was later changed to Michael Ward. He ran out of the burning house naked and covered in flames. He survived his third-degree burns and went on to live a normal life, although he was scarred forever by the lifelong burns on his abdomen, arms, and face.
– Michael Ward was found dead on Friday, Sept. 20, 2013 in the jacuzzi aboard a cruise ship in the Caribbean. He was on vacation with his family. Initial autopsy reports say he drowned.
– In the end, no one from the city government was criminally charged.
SOURCE: AP, Philly, Independent research | PHOTO CREDIT: Getty
why? because it’s 2018 and a picture of sammy sosa was in the news and while the practice of lightening skin is as old as passing for white. Who doesn’t wonder how safe it is and what mental place takes a person to do such a thing.
It was the year 2015, and yet another article about skin whitener is in the news! given the 2014 articles on Lupita Nyong’o mentioning Dencia in her 2/27/2014 speech regarding her dark skin and how our society has … on numerous occasion been cruel enough to consider skin whitening and to hate being black it’s important to keep updating this post. Thing is dencia didn’t see it for the ugly practice that most see it, but as free advertising and used the opportunity to admonish Lupita, calling her a slave while claiming not to know her.
Bleaching In 2014: African Singer Dencia Blasted For Pushing Skin Lightening Cream, “Whitenicious”
So, here we are again .. I don’t have to say reports are or tabloids said, though some of the 207+ that had to comment felt that filters were used and the pigment change could be temporary. Well, my question is why do this to begin with. I can’t lie , I was hoping this was just a fad, but MadameNoire.com has a couple of articles about skin whitening recounting sales being up by 1000%, then up pops out an article by Thelma who says she is light to begin with and because she does a lot of different kinds of shoots her coloring looks different ~~ the internet blew up! sure it looks different
According to the World Health Organization, about 77 percent of Nigerian women regularly use skin lightening products, and with famous people who should know better pushing such foolishness, I can see why the numbers might be so high. Do what you want to yourself, but don’t peddle that s**t to your people and try to pretend like it’s solely for cleaning up dark spots here and there when people’s body parts are turning a completely different color (see below). Photos from MadameNoire
It’s 2014, when will we stop with this?
…After…Whitenicious.com
Whitenicious.com Check out Dencia in action above
O’khaz said that while she is naturally lighter skinned, she is not Casper-white as we see in the picture. She also emphatically denies ever bleaching her skin. Instead, she says that the ghostly white image making its way around the Internet is photo-shopped.
“I take a lot of pictures for different purposes, some for movie posters. And this one is for a movie so when its out I’ll let u know,’ she writes.
O’khaz, who has appeared in dozens of Nollywood films including Costly Mistakes, White Hunters and Return of the White Hunters (the latter two are available for free streaming), couldn’tgo into much detail about the yet to be titled film for which the photos were taken. However, O’khaz can be seen in the upcoming films projects: Street Money:Occultic Sister and 89 Years in Bondage, which are due out next month. Also a much more natural skin toned O’khaz can be seen in her new video for the song, “I Like the Way,” which from her debut album Ready For You.
I see this practice as self-hate… what say you? ~~ Nativegrl77
and if there are errors, misinformation and or lies … please advise
Be a Seed for Change 