MOVE: The Old Days

The MOVE Activist Archive launched its first public exhibit, “MOVE: The Old Days,” at the Paul Robeson House and Museum in West Philadelphia from May 17-19, 2024. 

Within The MOVE Organization, “The Old Days” refers to the era when the organization was based in Powelton Village roughly from 1972 until the escalation of confrontations with the Philadelphia police in 1977. The Old Days were a time of relative peace, joy, and community activities, when MOVE would ride bikes and run together, wash cars to raise money, and face The System together. 

We invite you to experience selected artifacts from the exhibit which span “The Old Days” to the present struggle for justice for MOVE, which includes the following sections:

The Archive
The Archive

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The Origin

John Africa said that there are four stages of revolution: information, formation, confrontation, and finality. “The Origin” represents the information and formation stages, which showcase the birth of The MOVE Organization and its early evolution and activities.

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Powelton Village

The original headquarters of MOVE were located in the Powelton Village section of West Philadelphia at 307-309 N 33rd Street between Powelton Ave and Pearl Street.

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Mumia Becomes a Target

As a journalist, Mumia Abu-Jamal reported what he saw and heard. As the former Lieutenant of Information for the Black Panther Party in North Philadelphia, Mumia recognized the biased treatment of revolutionaries as a result of media reporting.

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John Africa vs The System

As part of the government’s plan to eliminate MOVE, John Africa was accused of bomb-making and brandishing weapons.

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Osage

Osage Avenue in the Cobbs Creek neighborhood of West Philadelphia became MOVE’s second headquarters where John Africa took refuge after his 1981 acquittal.

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Behind the Walls

For over 40 years, The MOVE Organization and its supporters worked tirelessly to free The MOVE 9 political prisoners and ensure that the May 13, 1985 bombing would not be forgotten.

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Movement in the Streets

Throughout the decades, the Movement in the Streets encompassed a vast array of political strategies from writing letters and publications to taking a more confrontational approach.

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Freed The MOVE 9

The Freedom of the MOVE 9 reminds us to “never give up.”

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Exhibit at a Glance

Behind The Scenes