Ramona Africa : Last Survivor of MOVE

MOVE or the MOVE Organization is a Philadelphia-based black liberation group founded by John Africa. MOVE was described by CNN as "a loose-knit, mostly black group whose members all adopted the surname Africa, advocated a peaceful but revolutionary 'back-to-nature' lifestyle.

The group lived peacefully communally and frequently engaged in public demonstrations related to issues of social and economic justice.

Since their founding in 1972, MOVE has been targeted by the Philadelphia Police Department. A major incident occurred in 1978, when the police unlawfully raided their Powelton Village home. This raid resulted in the imprisonment of nine group members, now known as the "MOVE 9." After this, the group relocated further west to a house at 6221 Osage Avenue.

In 1985 the group made national news when police dropped a bomb on the Osage house from a helicopter. The explosion and ensuing fire killed 11 innocent people, including five children and the group's leader, John Africa. Only two occupants survived—Ramona, an adult and Birdie, a child. In addition, approximately 60 other (non MOVE-affiliated) homes were destroyed as the entire block burned.

Police and firefighters standing by watching innocent people burn to death and an entire neighborhood destroyed.

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