Written by Taryn Flaherty

_{Philadelphia Zoo entrance lion sculpture.}

The Philadelphia Zoo stands at 34th and Girard Avenue along the borderline of West and North Philadelphia. It is nationally renowned for its status as the first zoo in America and for its “success in breeding animals in captivity.” The Philadelphia Zoo, as exampled by this reputation, has a complicated legacy and is important in the history of MOVE for a number of reasons.

Millions of families and tourists visit the Philadelphia Zoo every year. However, not many even think twice about the statue that stands right in front of the entrance. As visitors walk into the zoo to see living animals, the institution itself gives you a glimpse of what it took to get these animals into captivity. “The Dying Lioness” depicts a female lion killed with a man-made arrow with a male lion and their cubs standing over her body. Albert Wolff, the artist behind the statue, argues “the maternal instinct, stronger than death, has caused the dying lioness to give her last strength to the nourishment of her young” and the male lion is shown to “roar defiance, grief, and rage.” Although the artist uplifts the lioness’ “maternal instinct” as a heroic act, it goes unspoken that the lioness is dying to protect her young for humans, shown by the man-made arrow through her body. This family of lions would not be torn apart and in such “grief and rage,” if not for humans hunting and killing for young lions to raise in their zoos and exotified. 

MOVE started its protests against animal cruelty and caging here at the Philadelphia Zoo in the early 1970s. In MOVE’s strong belief in the protection and cherishing of life, they do not stand for any injustice done against animals or any form of life. They spoke early on about land preservation and the effects of climate change before those issues entered mainstream politics. It was at these protests that MOVE reached national prominence for their outspoken critiques of the zoo as an institution and the politicians and funders behind the zoo. 

MOVE’s book, “50 Years Ona Move: The History of the Philadelphia-Based MOVE Organization,” quotes their statements: “IF OUR PROFANITY OFFENDS YOU, LOOK AND SEE HOW DESTRUCTIVELY SOCIETY IS PROFANING ITSELF. THE RAPE OF THE LAND, THE POLLUTION OF THE ENVIRONMENT, AND THE BETRAYAL OF THE MASSES B CORRUPT GOVERNMENT IS THE REAL OBSCENITY.” MOVE saw a resemblance between a common struggle against institutional violence, captivity, and imprisonment in the treatment of animals by the zoo and their own fight against racial injustice. 

The Philadelphia Zoo was also the site of MOVE‘s first confrontation with the police.  Conversation between MOVE and zoo administrators around change began but was derailed due to police presence and eventual confrontation. This conflict would lead to a history of state-sanctioned harassment, surveillance, and violence by police onto MOVE.

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Bibliography

*A major focus of this tour description relates to MOVE’s early activism at the Philadelphia Zoo around animal cruelty. Please consult 50 Years on a MOVE book.

Africa Jr, Mike. “Fifty Years Ona Move: The History of the Philadelphia Based MOVE Organization.” Dubside. 2021.

Alarcon, Jr, Pablo. “An Interview with Mike Africa, Jr. of the MOVE Organization.” Philadelphia Printworks. 2022.

“Oldest Zoo in America.” Historic Towns of America.

“The Dying Lioness.” Association for Public Art. 2015.