Anarchist Black Cross Letter Writing Event- MOVE and Black Panther

In case you are unable to make it to tonight’s Anarchist Black Cross letter writing event at the Wingnut, here is a little information on the people we will be writing to as well as their addresses so you can write them on your own. This month’s focus is on black liberation prisoners. It seems fitting given the number of significant dates and memorials around the issue of race in the month of October (Gabriel’s rebellion, Harper’s Ferry, Columbus Day – ick, etc).

Information and tips for writing political prisoners can be found here:

Write Political Prisoners Letters!! Its easy and you can do it!

One group of people we are writing to tonight are prisoners from the MOVE organization.

This is a link to a little more information about what happened to some of the other members of the MOVE organization:

May 14th: MOVE 11

Write to the MOVE 9!

Debbie Sims Africa #006307
Janet Hollaway Africa #006308

May 14th: MOVE 11

The MOVE Organization was a black liberation group whose members adopted the last name AFrica, and promoted a back-to nature lifestyle. They were based in Philadelphia. They were something of a primitivist group, who promoted the hunter-gatherer lifestyle.

There were 2 instances where the Philadelphia Police confronted them- once in 1978 and once in 1985. In 1978 police came to evict the MOVE members from their communal house. During the incident, there was a shootout. One pig was killed. 7 other pigs, 5 firefighters, 3 MOVE members, and 3 bystanders were injured.

9 MOVE members were found guilty of 3rd degree murder. THEY ARE STILL IN PRISON. 7 of the 9 became eligible for parole in 2008, but have been denied. They come up for parole every year.

On May 13, 1985 the Philadelphia Police Department again tried to evict the MOVE organization from their new house, based on neighbor complaints over things like Bullhorn announcements and compost piles. When the MOVE members refused to leave the police attacked the house with tear gas, and the fire department sprayed it with water cannons. After that a burst of gunfire came from the house, which resulted in 90 minutes of return fire from the police- thousands of rounds were shot at the house. Then, the  Philadelphia Police dropped a BOMB on MOVE headquarters. The bomb set the house, and eventually an entire city block on fire.

John Africa, 5 other adults, and 5 CHILDREN died in the fire. There were only 2 surviving children.

The city was found to have overreacted, and money was paid out to a survivor and relative of someone who died. However, there does not appear to have been any culpability given to individual police involved- none of them have served jail time for the 11 murders.

Write Political Prisoners Letters!! Its easy and you can do it!

Its rainy where I am, and maybe where you are too. What better time to take a minute to write a letter to a political prisoner or two. Here are the most recent addresses I have of a bunch. It doesn’t take much to show solidarity with our comrades in prison- so write them a letter.

Here are some tips:

A Few Do’s and Don’ts in Correspondence A few dos and don’ts on writing prisoners whose backgrounds/politics you may not know.