Phil Africa

Children of the MOVE family remember MOVE 9 during dedication of new marker

During the dedication of the new marker on Saturday, June 24, 2017, children of the MOVE family stand silently with photos of MOVE members who have been incarcerated for 38 years. Photograph by Ed Hille, Staff Photographer for the Philadelphia Inquirer and Daily News.

A historical marker was unveiled during a ceremony this afternoon at Osage Avenue and Cobbs Creek Parkway, Philadelphia, where the Move activist community lived until they along with neighbors were bombed in 1985.

The marker is the result of two years’ worth of work by students at the Jubilee School.

Save the Date: MOVE Art Exhibit and Commemoration

Saturday, August 5, 2017,

2 – 4 pm: MOVE Art Exhibit – With The Art of Sophia Dawson
$20 – Fundraiser

5 – 8 pm: Program – 39 Years Too Long: Free The Move 9
Free
Featuring:
Ramona Africa (Move Org), Pam Africa (ICFFMAJ), Lawrence Hamm (POP), Suzanne Ross (Free Mumia Coalition), James McIntosh (CEMOTAP), Inez Barron (NYC Councilperson) & Charles Barron (NYS Assemblyperson), and more to be added

House of The Lord Church
415 Atlantic Avenue (bet. Bond & Nevins Sts.) – see map
Brooklyn, NY

For more info: (215) 386-1165 & onamovellja@aol.com

Get flyer

Phil Africa

There was a Celebration of the Revolutionary Life of Phil Africa on January 31, 2015 at The Kingsessing Recreation Center in Philadelphia. A packed house of several hundred family, friends, colleagues, and people mentored by Phil testified to how Phil had helped them and celebrated his outstanding life. See video of this event (thanks Johnnie Stevens).

(photos left to right) Mike Africa, MOVE Child & Orie Speak at Phil’s Memorial, Older Phil and Orie, Younger Orie and Phil

Phil Africa, New York Times Obituary

Phil Africa, of Black-Liberation Group Move, Long in Prison, Dies at 59

By SAM ROBERTS, JAN. 14, 2015

Dick Gregory and Phil Africa Speak, 1978

Phil Africa, a high-ranking member of the Philadelphia-based black-liberation group Move, who was serving a 30- to 100-year sentence in the 1978 fatal shooting of a police officer, died on Saturday, January 10th, at the state prison in Dallas, Pa., near Wilkes-Barre. He was 59.

A prison spokeswoman, Robin Lucas, attributed the death to unspecified natural causes.

Move is best known for the 24-hour siege at one of its houses in Philadelphia in 1985 that ended when the state police dropped a bomb, touching off a fire — the worst in the city’s history — that left 11 people dead and destroyed more than 60 homes. Phil Africa was in prison at the time.

Born William Phillips on Jan. 1, 1956, he adopted the surname Africa, as did the other eight defendants in his case, which stemmed from an earlier effort to oust Move from its West Philadelphia headquarters.

At that time, the administration of Mayor Frank L. Rizzo demanded that the building be vacated because of sanitary and building code violations. Members of the group responded by arming themselves and transforming the building into a fortress. Phil Africa was convicted of third-degree murder in a shootout that followed months of conflict.

In addition to the officer who was fatally shot, James Ramp, four officers and five firefighters were injured.

“Rehabilitation in this case would be absurd,” Judge Edwin S. Malmed of the Court of Common Pleas declared in passing sentence in 1981. “Anyone not revolted by the events of that day just doesn’t have a sound mind.”

Ramona Africa, a spokeswoman for Move, said on its website that Mr. Africa was the second of the nine defendants to die in prison, and described his death as suspicious.

“This is another example of how the system hates Move and will do anything to stop Move,” she said, adding, “Phil was a father figure to many.”

Ms. Lucas, the prison spokeswoman, said Mr. Africa had been in the prison infirmary for about a week.

Information on his survivors was not available.

Phil Africa Passed Away Under Suspicious Circumstances

On Saturday, January 10th 2015 Phil Africa, revolutionary, John Africa’s First Minister of Defense, and beloved brother, husband and father, passed away under suspicious circumstances at the State Correctional Institution at Dallas, PA. On Sunday, January 4th Phil Africa wasn’t feeling well and went to the prison infirmary. Though he wasn’t feeling well, other inmates saw Phil Africa walking, stretching and doing jumping jacks. Hearing that Phil was in the infirmary MOVE members drove up to visit him and were denied a visit by the prison. While they were visiting with Delbert Africa, Phil was secretly transported to Wilkes Barre General Hospital where he was held in total isolation, incommunicado for five days.

Prison officials at SCI-Dallas wouldn’t communicate about Phil’s condition. They told MOVE that Phil was at Wilkes Barre General hospital but the hospital denied he was there and this back and forth lie went on for days almost the entire time Phil was being held. The hospital and the prison behaved very suspiciously denying Phil the ability to call family members or his wife of 44 years, Janine Africa, stating that she was not a blood relative. The hospital and prison received hundreds of phone calls in support of Phil from around the world. When they finally submitted to pressure and allowed Phil to call Janine on Thursday, January 8th he was heavily drugged, incoherent and couldn’t even hold the phone to talk to her.

On Friday, January 9th Phil was sent back to the prison infirmary and placed in hospice care upon arrival. On Saturday, January 10th Ramona and Carlos Africa were granted permission to visit Phil in the prison infirmary. When they reached him he was incoherent and couldn’t talk or move his head to look at them. An hour after they left Delbert called with the news that Phil passed away.

Inmates in the infirmary and others in the prison were shocked when they heard the news. They had witnessed his vigorous health for decades in the prisons, had just seen him stretching and doing jumping jacks six days earlier. This rapid decline all occurred while he was being literally held incommunicado from his MOVE family at Wilkes Barre General Hospital or Dallas prison or wherever these conspirators were holding him with murderous intent.

The fact that Phil was isolated for the six days before he passed, The prison even refused to acknowledge that he was in the hospital is beyond Suspicious

This is another example of how the system hates MOVE and will do anything to stop MOVE. You can look at the example of August 8th, 1978 when the MOVE 9 were illegally imprisoned, and May 13th, 1985 when the government dropped a bomb and intentionally murdered 11 MOVE members to see this point clearly. When Merle Africa died in prison on March 13th, 1998 the conditions were very similar. She had been one way in the prison, but within hours of being forced to go to an outside hospital she was dead.

Phil made a deep impression on people all around the world. He was constantly writing, often dozens of letters a day, encouraging solidarity and strength, and warmly advising hundreds of people. Phil worked hard to learn to paint and created countless paintings which he sent to supporters for free to draw attention to issues, get raffled off for the struggle, and bring people together. Phil took his commitment and work as a revolutionary very seriously, but was often smiling, laughing, and giving people hugs and encouragement. He was a warm father figure to many in the prison where he taught inmates how to box, to think, and how to get stronger. Despite having two of his children murdered by the system and being separated by prison, Phil was a father figure to many. He was separated from his wife Janine for over 36 of the 44 years they were married, but he worked hard to stay connected with her even though they were so callously isolated by the system.

It’s this system’s intention for MOVE people to die in prison. The MOVE 9 never should have been imprisoned at all, and according to their sentence they should have been paroled over six years ago. The death of Merle and Phil Africa rests directly at the feet of this government! Phil will never be forgotten and this is not the end he is dearly missed but his strong example should inspire everyone to fight harder for the freedom of the MOVE 9 and all political prisoners. This latest government treachery will be the fuel needed to motivate people to step up the pace for this revolution.

LONG LIVE PHIL AFRICA!

LONG LIVE MERLE AFRICA!

FREE THE MOVE 9!

LONG LIVE JOHN AFRICA!

For More Info Or How You Can Help

Contact
Ramona Africa
Ona MoveLLJA@gmail.com

Janine Receives Call from Phil Africa!

Janine Africa finally received a call from the hospital from her husband Phil Africa. Prison Officials buckled to the worldwide pressure of the people from the past couple of days and arranged a call. After speaking to Phil, Janine immediately called Move Headquarters and informed family that she spoke to Phil and that he was medicated but seemed ok. Prison Officials have stated that they will allow Phil to be able to call his Move Family this Friday January 9, 2015 so we can hear from our Brother and know what’s going on with his health and well being.

This is a perfect example of what we can accomplish when we are all working together uncompromisingly . Prison Officials stated from the start that they would not let Phil speak to his wife Janine or The Move Family and here days later Phil has spoken to his wife and will be calling his family this Friday. This fight is far from over we still have to stay on alert and protect our Brother and monitor his health situation at the hospital. We have to stay alert and keep the pressure on officials at SCI Dallas just because they said they are gonna give him a call doesn’t mean nothing at all.

We will keep people updated on the situation with Phil when we hear from him this Friday 1/9/15. In the meantime we just wanted to thank each and every person that made calls and sent emails and shared and reported information on Phil’s behalf your help is greatly appreciated and we love all of you thanking you again .

Phil Africa Still Being Held Incommunicado!

As was stated earlier we are being left in the dark on Phil Africa’s condition and we have to keep the pressure on prison officials so that he be able to talk to his wife and family. We are asking people on 1/8/15 to flood the phone and email lines of Pennsylvania Department Of Corrections Secretary John Wetzel at

Phone (717) 728-2573.

Call and state that we want answers into the health and well being of William “Phil” Africa, Am 4984 and that his wife and family be given full information into his health, status, AND that he be allowed to call his Move Family.

Phil Africa: Urgent Medical Situation!

Dear Brothers and Sisters:
Phil Africa of the MOVE 9 is in need of our help. On Monday, January 5, 2015, Phil was transferred from SCI Dallas in Pennsylvania to to a nearby hospital, and both the prison and the hospital have refused to release information about his condition to his family or concerned attorneys, not even his wife!

Please call the prison ASAP to demand that information be released about our brother.
Phil’s info:
William Phillips Africa
AM 4974
Prison Telephone number
SCI DALLAS
570-675-1101 press 0 and ask to speak to the Superintendent.

Please spread the word.