National

“We Are Victims Of Terrorism:” Fred Hampton Jr. Recognizes 30th Anniversary Of Philadelphia MOVE Bombing

Published

11 years ago

May 18, 2015

More than 60 other homes and businesses were destroyed when the Philadelphia police department and FBI bombed the MOVE home in 1985.

By Doshon Farad
Special to the NNPA from The Atlanta Daily World

In a country that prides itself on being the apex of liberty and freedom of expression, the notion of domestic terrorism never crosses the mind of most Americans. In the eyes of many, however, this notion is all too real.

On May 13th, 1985, the Move organization’s headquarters in Philadelphia, Pa. were firebombed by local police who claimed that the group’s members posed a safety risk to the city – this taking place after several years of well documented evidence that the department was carrying out a vendetta towards the organization.

The bombing resulted in the deaths of eleven people, including Move’s founder John Africa and five children, as well as the virtual leveling of Osage Avenue where the headquarters were located. Many eyewitness accounts from that day described the scene as being reminiscent of the dropping of an atomic bomb.

On Wednesday, activists from across the country and world poured into Philadelphia to observe the thirtieth anniversary of the event. It began as a mid-morning rally held on Osage Avenue in remembrance of bombing victims, as well as to demand the release of members of the 1978 “Move 9” case who supporters allege were falsely charged by city and state officials for the killing of a Philadelphia police officer, among other charges. These nine individuals have served nearly forty years in prison and keep being denied parole despite evidence being introduced that could possibly grant them a new trial.

After the rally, a nearly thirty block march took place in which participants demanded an end to police brutality and the freeing of others who they referred to as “political prisoners.” This list included imprisoned journalist and fellow Move member Mumia Abu Jamal, whose case was also mentioned throughout the day-long program.

The march ended at the First District Plaza, where later in the evening an indoor rally was held honoring the victims of the Osage Avenue tragedy.

In attendance was the son of slain Black Panther Party Leader Fred Hampton, Fred Hampton Jr., who travelled all the way from Chicago to lend his support. He told NewsOne flatly, “We are victims of terrorism. What happened in Philadelphia on Osage Avenue thirty years ago is one of the blatant cases of the extent this government will go to to any attempt of our people to fight for self determination.”

The long time activist continued by emphasizing the importance of remembering Move. “We’re here in solidarity. We’re making sure that every generation knows what happened thirty years. . .We’re making the concrete connection between terrorism on Africans (Blacks) and other colonized people.”

Revolution Communist Party of America Spokesperson Carl Dix was also present and he spoke with NewsOne briefly about his thoughts concerning the day’s events. “Today is a day we must never forget. Thirty years ago they dropped a bomb on a house in a Black neighborhood. They began by launching a military assault, firing hundreds of rounds of ammunition into the house. They tried to drown them out with water hoses and when that didn’t work, they dropped a bomb on them. We must never forget this because they were giving us a lesson in how they (law enforcement) functioned,” he said.

This event couldn’t have come at a better time in light of the recent controversy surrounding police killings of African-Americans across the United States.

During the evening, Ramona Africa-who is a survivor of the bombing on that fateful day three decades ago-served as co-emcee and spoke for several minutes on police brutality. “We must understand the work we need to do and the stand we need to take to put an end to this viciousness. They’re not going to stop on their own. Nobody is going to hand us peace and contentment on a silver platter. We have to direct and demand that. And settle for nothing less.”

Along with an African-themed program that features poets, presentations, video addresses by former Black Panther Angela Davis, Nation of Islam leader Minister Louis Farrakhan, and a performance by New Jersey-based Universal African Dance and Drum Ensemble, longtime scholar and activist Dr. Cornel West spoke.

In his usual fiery manner, Dr. West wasted no time in sharing his thoughts. “It’s a new day in Philadelphia, Ferguson, Baltimore and the world. . .We’re here to say to the Move organization that we love each and every one of them.”

Tying the Move plight into the broader struggle for justice, West asserted, “When the history is written of the last forty years about the vicious attacks on poor and working people and the massive transfer of their wealth to the top one percent, someone will ask ‘Who actually tried to stand up and tell the truth?’ And the condition of truth is always to allow suffering to be manifest.”

“It’s a beautiful thing to be on fire for justice,” West added.

Earlier in the evening, attendees heard from “Move 9” member Janine Africa, who has been held for nearly forty years at the Cambridge Springs Correctional Institution.

Event organizers announced that more plans are being formed to initiate the release of the “Move 9.”

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Four Candidates, Including Incumbent Barbara Lee, Qualify for Oakland Mayor’s Race

POST NEWS GROUP — Four candidates, including incumbent Mayor Barbara Lee, filed their papers to run for office by last Friday’s deadline, and the City Clerk issued a list this week of those who are qualified to run.

Published

1 day ago

August 15, 2026

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View of downtown Oakland, California and City Hall. iStock photo.

By Post Staff

The four mayoral candidates who will appear on the Nov. 3 ballot are:

Brenda Grisham. A business owner in East Oakland and public safety advocate, Grisham led the successful recall campaign against Alameda County District Attorney Pamela Price. As part of her platform, she pledges to work with local, state, and federal partners to secure stricter gun control measures and investments in community violence intervention programs.

Barbara Lee. A former congressional representative and state Assembly member, Lee was elected by voters in a special election last year for a two-year term. Now running for a four-year term, she points out that her administration achieved major successes in addressing some of the city’s major challenges, including balancing the city budget, dramatically reducing crime, and making significant inroads into homelessness and illegal dumping.

Mindy Pechenuk. An educator and activist, Pechenuk is a registered Republican and supporter of Lyndon LaRouche, who has been described by observers as a conspiracy theorist and cult leader. She ran unsuccessfully for mayor in last year’s special election and for the at-large council seat in 2024. She seeks to end Oakland’s police commission and MACRO and invest in more police while launching a new local war on drugs.

Julius Robinson. While little information is available so far about Robinson, he was quoted in a KTVU story about Thao’s recall, stating that people in Oakland want to come together as a community but lack infrastructure and leadership.

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Black History

Oakland Observes Black August with Block Parties, Film Showings, Workshops

POST NEWS GROUP — Beginning in 1979 in San Quentin State Prison, the Black Guerrilla Family called for the remembrance of political prisoner George Jackson and his brother Jonathan Jackson who were assassinated in the early 1970s. George Jackson was considered a political prisoner in that it was the anti-Black justice system that led to his incarceration for armed robbery with a sentence of one year-to-life in 1960.

Published

1 day ago

August 15, 2026

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George Jackson wrote two books: “Soledad Brother,” and “Blood in My Eye” before her was killed in an attempt to escape prison on Aug. 21, 1971.

By Jana Lang, Propel Youth Reporter

Study. Train. Fast. Fight.

These are the four tenets of Black August, a month dedicated to commemorating the sacrifices of political prisoners and Black revolutionaries in the struggle for Black liberation.

Observers are urged to study the history of the Black struggle for freedom, train their bodies for health and self-defense, fast to cleanse the mind, body, and spirit, and fight ongoing oppression alongside their communities and local political organizations.

Beginning in 1979 in San Quentin State Prison, the Black Guerrilla Family called for the remembrance of political prisoner George Jackson and his brother Jonathan Jackson who were assassinated in the early 1970s. George Jackson was considered a political prisoner in that it was the anti-Black justice system that led to his incarceration for armed robbery with a sentence of one year-to-life in 1960.

While in prison, George befriended fellow prisoner W.L. Nolen, who introduced him to the works of Karl Marx, Vladimir Lenin, Mao Zedong, and Frantz Fanon. This radicalization coupled with his experiences of violence while imprisoned led to him writing and publishing two books, “Soledad Brother” (1970), and “Blood in my Eye” (1972). In January of 1970, George and two other prisoners were charged with murdering a corrections officer at Soledad State Prison in Monterey County.

On Aug. 7, 1970, Jonathan Jackson burst into a Marin County courtroom armed with a shotgun to demand the freedom of the Soledad Brothers. He, along with the inmates he freed, was shot and killed while driving away. This involved one of the Black Panther Party’s most notable associates, Angela Davis, because the shotgun was registered in her name. She was later acquitted of charges of conspiracy, kidnapping, and murder in 1972.

On Aug. 21, 1971, George Jackson was assassinated by a corrections officer after attempting to escape and free other inmates. As a result, there were uprisings and protests within prisons all over the country that year, calling forth resistance against racial oppression and mass incarceration.

Since its outset, Black August has evolved across the country, taking many forms to honor this history and embody the four tenets.

In Oakland, the upcoming Black August Experience, hosted by Youth Alive! and the East Oakland Boxing Association (EOBA), is a free, family-friendly event celebrating the legacy of Black August. Activities include free food and drinks, a kids’ activity zone, interactive workshops, live cooking and boxing demonstrations, and more.

Happening on Aug. 21 from 4-8 p.m. at the EOBA Patio, Carolyn Flynn, director of administration at EOBA, said the event, in its second year, will be an opportunity to engage with people in person through food, shared space, and education.

“We do regular classes in education, and those are ongoing programs that we offer, but we wanted to have [an opportunity] for our neighbors to utilize this space.” Combined with Youth Alive’s work in community violence prevention and youth leadership, this event surely aims to bring the Oakland community together to capture what Black August means today.

Here are additional Black August events happening in Oakland:

Forum and Community Discussion hosted by the Oakland Liberation Center, 1499 Fruitvale Ave., Aug. 14, 7 p.m.

“George Jackson/San Quentin” Screening hosted by Nostalgic for Nothing Cinema at Moments Co-Op, 410 13th St., Aug. 16, doors at 6 p.m., show at 6:30 p.m. (Masks required and scent-free)

Commemorating the Struggle, Building the Altar for Liberation: Black August at Bandung Books, 2269 International Blvd., Aug. 23rd, 1-5 p.m.

Building Opportunities for Self-Sufficiency (BOSS), will host “Black August: The Arc of Liberation” at Oakland City Hall on Sat. Aug. 29, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.