In 2024, a disturbing discovery reignited discussions about historical violence against Black communities in America: human remains belonging to victims of the 1985 MOVE bombing were found at the University of Pennsylvania and Princeton University. These remains, including those of 12-year-old Delisha Africa, had been stored without the knowledge or consent of surviving MOVE family members. This revelation drew parallels to another dark chapter in American history: the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre, establishing a pattern of government-sanctioned aerial attacks on self-sufficient Black communities.
The Destruction of Black Wall Street: Tulsa 1921
The Greenwood District of Tulsa, Oklahoma, known as “Black Wall Street,” represented Black economic independence and prosperity. The district’s destruction in 1921 marked one of the first aerial attacks on American soil. Attorney Buck Colbert Franklin’s eyewitness account described “airplanes circling in midair, dropping turpentine balls upon the Negro residences.” The assault destroyed over 35 city blocks and claimed up to 300 Black lives, decimating a thriving community that had embodied Black economic self-determination.
The MOVE Bombing: Philadelphia 1985
Sixty-four years later, Philadelphia witnessed a similar tragedy. The MOVE organization, founded in 1972 by John Africa, embodied principles of Black self-sufficiency, environmental sustainability, and resistance to systemic oppression. The group lived communally, grew their own food, and homeschooled their children, representing a model of Black independence from mainstream systems.
On May 13, 1985, Philadelphia police dropped an explosive device from a helicopter onto MOVE’s home on Osage Avenue. The resulting fire, which authorities deliberately let burn, killed 11 people, including five children, and destroyed 61 homes in the predominantly Black neighborhood. The decision to use such extreme force against civilians, authorized by Mayor Wilson Goode, marked a chilling echo of the Tulsa massacre.
The Vision and Legacy of MOVE
MOVE’s philosophy centered on natural living, educational autonomy, and food sovereignty. Their active protests against police brutality, environmental degradation, and systemic racism made them targets of state surveillance and eventually, violence. Their story represents both the possibilities of Black self-determination and the brutal responses it often faced from authorities.
Community Response and International Recognition
Both incidents sparked immediate and lasting outrage. In Philadelphia, resident Lois Robinson’s words captured the community’s sentiment: “They didn’t have to drop a bomb to resolve a conflict with a few people. This was an attack on all of us.”
The Pattern of Suppression
The targeting of these communities highlights America’s consistently violent suppression of Black self-sufficiency. From Tulsa’s prosperous business district to MOVE’s sustainable commune, these communities represented alternatives to dependency on oppressive systems. Their destruction through aerial bombardment – a tactic typically reserved for foreign warfare – demonstrates the lengths to which authorities would go to maintain racial and economic control.
Historical Pattern and the We Charge Genocide Petition
The 1951 “We Charge Genocide” petition to the United Nations, submitted by the Civil Rights Congress, proved tragically prophetic. The petition accused the U.S. government of committing genocide against African Americans through systemic violence, lynchings, and economic sabotage. While this document came three decades after the Tulsa Race Massacre, it highlighted an ongoing pattern of state violence against Black communities that would continue, as devastatingly demonstrated by the MOVE bombing 34 years later.
The petition’s arguments about systematic state violence against Black communities trying to build independence and prosperity were powerfully validated by subsequent events. The 1985 MOVE bombing showed that the patterns of state violence documented in the 1951 petition – including the use of extreme force against Black communities – remained actively in practice well into the latter half of the 20th century.
Contemporary Implications
The 2024 discovery of MOVE victims’ remains at “prestigious” universities adds another layer to this historical trauma. The handling of these remains without family consent reflects ongoing issues of dignity and respect for Black lives, even in death. This recent development connects past violence to present-day institutional practices, demonstrating how historical trauma continues to reverberate through contemporary institutions.
Conclusion
The parallel between the Tulsa Race Massacre and the MOVE bombing reveals a consistent pattern of state violence against self-sufficient Black communities in America. These events, separated by decades but united in their use of aerial attacks against civilians, represent not isolated incidents but rather systematic attempts to suppress Black independence and prosperity. Understanding this history is crucial for addressing ongoing systemic racism and preventing future atrocities.
Note: This article integrates verified historical accounts from multiple sources, including contemporary news reports, eyewitness testimonies, and academic research. The exact casualty figures from the Tulsa Race Massacre remain disputed, with estimates ranging from dozens to hundreds of victims.