Thank You

Hey we just wanted to send out a special thank you to all of the people who took the time out to read The Move 9 Chronicles. We would like to thank the the different people in France who read and reported the info, our supporters in Mexico City and here in the states who reported our info, our good friends from The NYC Coalition to Free Mumia Abu Jamal Coalition and NYC Jericho as well. We couldn't write this without acknowledging sister Margie from South Brooklyn ABCF for The wonderful pieces that she contributed on her recent visits with Chuck and Mike Africa.

By reading the Chronicles, people can see why we feel the way we do about The Move 9 and why we are fighting so hard to bring them home. So don't forget to make your calls to the PA Parole Board every Monday to demand the release of The Move 9. You can reach the PA Parole Board at (717) 772-4343. Call get involved and get ona move for The Move 9.

Memories

I remember brief things from when I was younger like driving up to the prisons to see our family, or playing in a large plain room with my sisters and brothers. The small chats and the story telling of the old and new days. The picture sharing, and the 'y'all growing up so fast! When we come home y'all gonna be bigger than us.'

The feeling I most remember was leaving my family in a cold harsh, unfair place, knowing damn well this system put them away because they stood up for life. They spoke the truth to the fullest, you can't find one person in the world who deep down doesn't think our belief isn't true.  MOVE LAW IS VERY POWERFUL BASED ON MOTHER NATURE GOD.

JOHN AFRICA teaches us that LIFE is the priority. Nothing is more important than, or as important as life. The force that keeps us alive. All LIFE comes from one source from GOD, MOTHER NATURE, MAMA. Each individual life is dependent on every other life, and all life has a purpose, So all living beings, things that move, are equally important whether they are human beings, dogs, cats, birds, trees, ants, weeds, rivers, winds and rain.

It's all life and it's important but the system sees it as if humans are better than a tree, better than a panda, dog, cat, and any other form of life. After a while, they began saying that one race is better than the other! Hate surrounds us every day in this horrible society we live in. When you go outside, you're welcomed with menacing stares and evil looks. Kids can't be welcomed by other kids if their skin or clothes are different. It's like you're put on a platform and judged over and over again.

My Move Brothers and Sisters

Ona Move

I wanna tell you how much Move members in prison have influenced my life. Between the Move members stuck in prison still fighting to get out and the Move members out here, fighting to free our brothers and sisters, every one of them has had a lasting effect on me. There are no words that can really express my feelings; I want you to know that, but I'll try by telling you this story. I always wanted to express my love and loyalty to my family in prison all across PA. I remember crying when I was trying to convince a man I thought was my father of the importance of the Move family locked in those prisons, trying to make him understand how much I loved them and how bad things he was doing was hurting them and not helping them to come home.

Phil Africa

LONG LIVE JOHN AFRICA

Phil Africa’s example pushes me to work hard and never ever give up, to never stop fighting for JOHN AFRICA’s belief which teaches us to always fight for life no matter how big or small the situation.  LONG LIVE JOHN AFRICA FOREVER!  On August 8, 1978, Phil Africa stood up for not only the MOVE family but for all life’s family!  All life have to drink clean water, not chemicals; breathe fresh air, not pollution; grow food in clean fresh dirt, not poison.  Phil put out strong information about animal abuse and demonstrated against the enslavement and persecution of all life. Phil Africa is always passing down the Teaching of JOHN AFRICA and he explained to me how serious it is being a MOVE member, how important it is to people all over the world to show them how to free themselves from this wicked, rotten-ass, reform system.  Phil was also telling us how we must be the protectors and voice for all living things who cannot speak for themselves.  And to this day, 36 years later, Phil Africa is still fighting for what’s right, without compromise.  LONG LIVE JOHN AFRICA FOREVER!  Phil’s example of consistent loyalty motivates me to keep fighting this rotten-ass reform system.  The MOVE 9 are innocent; MOVE don’t believe in nothing invented by this reform system, the government, military, industry, which is why this system wants to stop us from exposing their corrupt ass, even if they have to kill us.  TO QUOTE JOHN AFRICA, THE COORDINATOR, "THE MOVE ORGANIZATION AIN’T JUST A THING YOU JUDGES AND COPS CAN SEE, THE POWER OF MOVE IS THE FORCE YOU CAN’T SEE…" - JOHN AFRICA.

LONG LIVE JOHN AFRICA FOREVER!

ONA MOVE

Josh Africa

Chuck Africa

ONA MOVE

My name is Brian Africa, and I’m inspired by Chucky Africa and all MOVE members in prison because of the strong example they set, never backin' down from this stagnated system after all these years (36) in prison.  This rotten system will never stop MOVE because they can’t stop life; life is MOVE’s ally, our Belief.  LONG LIVE JOHN AFRICA FOREVER!  In 1977, Rizzo told the world he was going to, “drag MOVE out the house by the scruff of they neck” and MOVE wouldn’t back down.  When the house was surrounded by hundreds of armed cops, MOVE still wouldn’t back down.  MOVE kept putting out the truth, they wouldn’t stop!  36 years later MOVE is still in prison, still putting out the truth, still fighting for what’s right and that example inspires me to keep fightin' this rotten corrupt system.

LONG LIVE JOHN AFRICA FOREVER!

ONA MOVE

Brian Africa

The Youth Continue On

Ona MOVE. My name is Will Africa.  The example I’ve seen in Chuck Africa in 1977 and 1978, when he was up on that platform of MOVE HQs putting out the truth at 17 years old, exposin' the brutality in cops, the prejudice in government, not bein' scared of the news media, speakin' JOHN AFRICA’s Guidelines so clear and strong is what inspired me.  The MOVE 9 fights consistently, no matter what this reform system comes at them with, that’s the power of JOHN AFRICA!  

LONG LIVE JOHN AFRICA FOREVER!

ONA MOVE

Will Africa

LONG LIVE JOHN AFRICA FOREVER!

Janine Africa

ONA MOVE

The biggest amongst many of the things that motivates me about Janine Africa is her fight to never give up even though this government put her in prison unjustly, the fight to not back down when those cops are at her neck the fight to keep putting out information, like speaking on radio shows about JOHN AFRICA’S teaching, writing, & guidelines - even though this system put her in prison with the rest of the MOVE 9 to try to silence them so they cannot continue to speak the truth and continue exposing this system and letting society know exactly what they are dealing with when they are presented with false hope like this government.  The fight and strong example is only one of the long list of things that inspire me about Janine Africa.  

                                         

LONG LIVE JOHN AFRICA FOREVER

-Tyrell Africa

Delbert Africa

Delbert (Del) immediately before he was beaten by police.

Ona move Del, I just wanted write you to let you know much you have inspired me over the years. Through your strong, consistent example you have taught me to stay strong and never let the system beat me down. LONG LIVE JOHN AFRICA! The example that you and the rest of my Move family set on August 8th was very impressive and taught me how important it is to always honor the grip of the family. You are always there for me as a brother; even though I don't see you everyday I still know that I can always count on you and talk to you about my problems, and you always give me encouragement and direction. Damn, Del, that's a strong example how the cops were trying to beat you and kill on August 8th, but they ended up being the ones who were defeated. And even when they were throwing all of that tear gas in there at y'all and they might have blurred your physical vision, mentally your vision is clearer then theirs will ever be because you're fighting for life and they're going against life. LONG LIVE JOHN AFRICA.

Ona move,
Chad Africa

Janet Africa

Ona move, Janet.  LONG LIVE JOHN AFRICA. I haven't talked to you in a while, so I just wanted to write you a letter to catch up and see how you're doing. I know you're doing good and staying strong as always.  You might have your ups and downs like the rest of us, but you always manage to stay strong and never lose focus of what's really important and that is: to always put John Africa, our belief first.  Something that stands out about you to me is how you never let things that the system tries to throw at you get in the way of you doing your work. Even on August 8th, with 10,000 rounds of ammunition being shot at y'all, you made it out alive and stronger then ever and that is because your mind was on life and as long as you have your mind on life and what's right big mama will always protect you. Even though physically you're in imprisoned, you're still free because Move only believes in freedom; therefore you are more free than those guards who are keeping you in there.  Their body might be "free," but their mind has gotten a life sentence. Ona move, Janet.  I love you and look forward to seeing you soon, stay strong and always remember to honor the grip of the family. LONG LIVE JOHN AFRICA

Love always,
Maria Africa

The Move Youth Speak on the Move 9

On The MOVE.

Long Live JOHN AFRICA.

I love and miss my grandmother and I am working to help get her out of prison because I want to be able to see her whenever I want to see her and not have to see her when the system say I can.  I want to see her when I say I can.  I don’t want to go through a metal detector or take a long drive to see her.  I want her to be able to come to my house and see me, my brothers and sisters run in our backyard and go to the park.  But we can’t because this system is scared of how strong she is.  They’re scared she will make other people want to be strong like her and follow her example and start doing what’s right.  She’s working to stop this system from polluting the air, the water, and all the animals that live in the water, on the earth and fly in the sky.  She’s still stopping the system because she did not give up and I am following her example to keep fighting.  She’s still fighting just like she was on the platform using the bullhorn, putting out strong MOVE Law, exposing wrong.  After 36 years, Debbie is still fighting for all life.  Just because they put her in prison don’t mean she’ll give up, it means she’ll fight even harder.  

My name is Alex Africa and my grandmother is Debbie Africa.

Free The MOVE 9

On The MOVE

LONG LIVE JOHN AFRICA

We Love You Merle, You Will Live Forever

This is an article dedicated to Merle Africa written by the Move family in 1998

Today Marks 16 years since Merle Africa died under mysterious circumstances in The State Correctional Institution in Cambridge Springs PA. Let's celebrate the life of Merle by picking up the work to fight this rotten ass system.

Merle Africa a revolutionary solider who was killed by this murderous ass reform world system. On March 13th 1998, Merle Africa was forced to die at the hands of this government, punished for a crime she didn't commit, the accusation of murder of a cop on Aug, 8th 1978, yet this system literally kills people everyday and gets away with it. On May 13th 1985, this system's politicians, headed by Wilson Goode murdered 11 of our innocent family members, 5 of them children and ain't a one of them murderous cantankerous misfits were even charged with 11 counts of murder let alone punished for it. Merle, as all innocent Move people, knows the love of life and the protection that comes with it.

New piece by Mumia for the Move 9 Chronicles

Anti-Move Propoganda 2.0 (3:16) by Mumia Abu-Jamal

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Eddie Africa

My brother, Eddie Africa, is a strong MOVE member that follows the teaching of JOHN AFRICA. Not only does he always talk to and encourage me to be strong but he also sets a strong example for me to follow.  Whenever I see Eddie or talk to him on the phone, he is never sad or unhappy, even after being imprisoned for 36 years for something he didn’t do, and if he’s asked, he will tell you it’s because he understands it is not just him and his family that have been wronged by this rotten system, it is all life-women, babies, and animals in zoos & lab cages.  Eddie tells us that JOHN AFRICA teaches that all life is a victim of this system and that’s why it’s so important to stop it!

LONG LIVE JOHN AFRICA FOREVER!  Eddie is always telling us that JOHN AFRICA taught him that real happiness, real freedom doesn’t come from this reform system, it comes from our belief in life, what’s real.  That’s a good example for me to follow in a brother, and that is why this system is so threatened by the MOVE 9.  This is one of the reasons why they don’t want to let our brothers and sisters out of jail, because they will be an even stronger influence on us than they are now! LONG LIVE JOHN AFRICA FOREVER!

ONA MOVE

Raymond Africa

The Move 9 and their Impact on Me

Ona Move

I was asked recently to contribute a piece on the Move 9 for the chronicles and the impact they have had on my life. It's hard for me to talk about my brothers and sisters on a personal level and then share it on a public level. It's touchy for me but this is for their freedom so here it goes. For 36 years now, my brothers and sisters have set a strong revolutionary example in Pennsylvania prisons. They have been unjustly imprisoned all these years, and have not a one of them ever turned traitor to their belief in the teachings of JOHN AFRICA. Now that is impressive.

Despite all of their legal appeals being exhausted, despite some of them having their babies murdered by this system on May 13th 1985, despite periods of solitary - none of them have been broken. They are in the prisons teaching about JOHN AFRICA'S  REVOLUTION. They are helping inmates to get off drugs, they are helping mothers and fathers establish relationships with their children on the outside. It's impressive when you visit, cause I know that there will be times when I go up to visit them I might be depressed or going through things and they will be spending time on a visit helping me pull myself together and motivating me.

Young Supporter from VA on the Move 9

It’s hard to express the individual beauties and personality of those who comprise a group. Though they are unified in belief and struggle, each one of them: Eddie, Janine, Janet, Mike, Chuck, Delbert, Phil, Debbie, and Merle have distinct personalities, interests, and endearing traits. Phil has the personality of an inspirational speaker; high energy, bright smile, quick speech, and resilience. He is a beautiful painter and his letters are always filled with sage advice. Delbert is calm and considered, but can be firm and direct at a moment’s notice. He has a subtle sense of humor and a great laugh. Eddie can light up a room just by entering. He has the presence and strut of a Motown singer, the concern of the best minister, and an incredible humility. Debbie has a bright smile, a great laugh, and a wise, confident vibe. Seeing her give her grandchildren piggyback rides in the prison visiting room was both heart breaking and beautiful. Mike has a calm, reserved manner, and seems to be taking in everything around him. He is deliberate with his speech and considerate. Janet has the energy of a gymnast and is passionate in conversing about so many things. She is the type of person you feel you can talk to about anything. Janine is kind, funny, and serious all at the same time. She listens patiently and is so thoughtful in her advice. Chuck is witty, sharp, and fiery. Chuck intimidated the hell out of me the first time I met him. Coming from a white, suburban background I mistook his passion and protectiveness for something else. Chuck loves to debate about history, music, pretty much anything. I have great regrets that I never had the chance to meet Merle. I've heard she was amazing. The fact that she died in prison serving an unjust sentence is a tragedy. One way to try to rectify the injustice of Merle dying in prison is to work for the release of her brothers and sisters. It's heartbreaking to think about how long this injustice has persisted. Their fate rests firmly on the decisions of the Pennsylvania parole board.

Please join in to add to the pressure to release the MOVE 9. These are truly amazing, kind-hearted people that deserve to be free!

My First Visit with Chuck Africa

We knew going into this that Chuck would be energetic and fun, but we were way more impressed than imaginable! When we walked through the gate and into the room, Chuck was there to greet us, and we wasted no time getting to know each other. Right off the start, Chuck floods the room with his excitement and aspiration. In no time at all, you'll find yourself sharing stories and laughing.

His brothers explain that back in the day, he was one of the best boxers (if not the best) in the state. There used to be more athletic programs in the PA DOC, boxing being a popular one, but the vast majority of all kinds of programing have been cut seemingly to save money. One of Chuck's signature boxing characteristics was that he would simply not stop punching. It was his persistence, stamina and energy that often led him to prevail in a match. Chuck maintained his boxing skills in prison until the program shut down, but Chuck is still a fighter. All of the MOVE men would participate in boxing, as it was also something they did prior to going to prison. It was a good way for them to stay healthy and see each other at occasional competitions. “Phil always had nice straight punches,” and “Delbert was the master of knock out hits,” Chuck recalls. Boxing, requires discipline, both physically and mentally, and sometimes simple patience. He loves it!

Getting To Know Mike Africa Sr

Mike Sr. and Mike Jr.

Mike is an incredibly sharp individual. His intellectual capacity is downright impressive! He plays guitar and pursues higher education.  Mike works in the kitchen at Graterford, where he has access to a raw vegetables and maintains a vegan diet. His Move brothers explain that he was a great boxer, but always the best runner. They also compliment his academics.  Chuck laughs as he reminisces about Mike diligently washing the salt off of his peanuts before eating them, preferring them in their more natural state.

When I first entered the visiting room, I had not seen a picture of Mike since 1978. However, the heart-warming, genuine smile that beamed in my direction brought me straight to him! Of course I asked just to make sure, but I knew it was him. The room was packed and noisy, and made it hard to hear each other. By no means did this stop us from engaging.

Mike has been paying attention to anti-GMO organizing and the war on Monsanto. We discussed GMOs and the corporate sales pitch of labeling items “organic.” It's hard to understand the consumer's logic in trusting a corporate note that the product is certified organic. When explaining that organic means no additives, it was made clear that even without intentional additives, the essentials are toxified in consistency from additives generated by airplanes, cellular radiation, chemical spillages, and day-to-day human-generated garbage that poison the air, water and soil almost everywhere. Everything that grows on it, grows with these additives. Nothing anymore can be truly natural, as the “certified organic” label is supposed to indicate. It's essentially just another sales pitch.

International Support For The Move 9

MY FIRST VISIT to the MOVE SISTERS
 
I first visited the MOVE sisters years ago, in 1995, the year of Mumia's PCRA... and his unexpected first stay of execution, a victory of the people against judge Sabo's dreadful rule and weeks of intense emotion and international solidarity in Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas.

I had read about the sisters in the local Philadelphia press and learnt how their babies had been killed by the Philadelphia police, how Mike junior was born in jail after the MOVE house was attacked by the police on August 8, 1978, how Delbert Africa had almost been beaten to death by the cops, how the members of the family who had survived police brutality were bombed on May 13, 1985.

I had read a lot, but the day I met the sisters was a turning point in my life and my commitment to the family. I visited them with Pam and Mona and the family which meant a full night drive in the truck, a quick breakfast at the local coffee-shop in Cambridge Springs and briefly getting into clean clothes; then it was the final drive to the State Correction Institution for women, as they say in America (we just say 'prison' here) which is a former College, a shock for a French visitor - we still abide by Victor Hugo's saying, : 'Build a school and you will close a prison'.

More and More People Moved by the Move 9

Hi, my name is Gary & I have been writing & visiting the MOVE 9 since 1980. I was drawn to the MOVE 9 for the opposite reason that the system was perpetuating. Through the 70's, those living in the Philly area were bombarded, often daily from the media, that MOVE was: wild, crazy, & violent radicals. Blatently, the system's goal was to discourage people from getting interested in MOVE & to be able to eradicate MOVE without public outcry. I came from a boring, white middle class upbringing, & the MOVE 9's trial intrigued me for excitement, to see this "wild" courtroom behavior by MOVE. 

When I went, they were nothing as portrayed & I left disappointed. Several months later, I thought I would try again, & this time, there were a group of supporters to join in with, & that's just what I did - forever. I still remember the thrill of being told I could visit the MOVE 9 in prison! To this day, the MOVE 9 are still thrilling me with each visit & letter received from them. The most remarkable thing about a prison visit, is that when leaving, us visitors remark that the MOVE 9 were so light, positive, & most of all - FREE! Before knowing the MOVE 9, my life was empty with drugs, alcohol, & whatever the System has to offer, so I have to give all thanks to the MOVE 9!

People From All Over Influenced by the Move 9

Hard-earned wisdom and hard-won strength: the MOVE 9

We're comparing notes on our gardens. Janet Africa tilled her soil with a plastic snow shovel. I envision trying to grow with a kid's sand kit for the beach. My husband and I had the entire arsenal of his tools from a small landscaping business when we planted this spring: plows, pick axes, rakes. And even still, I'd get tired and claim I had to go inside and return an email.

Janet is tiny and giggly. Despite her sweetness, her warm brown eyes, her engaging way, there is a ferocity. These aren't incompatible traits. They stand alongside one another. She's strong and tested. She knows what she's capable of. Growing food, tending soil and plant life with shoddy tools is a small hiccup.

And that's the way with the MOVE 9. Publicly, they're known as a family who didn't back down against the brutality and aggression of the city of Philadelphia. After withstanding an urban battle, largely unprecedented in the 20^th century, they went on to receive sentences of 30-100 years each for the death of one police officer. The evidence presented at trial was flimsy and since that time the city of Philadelphia claims to have lost the majority of this evidence. In 1985, members of the MOVE 9 learned from prison guards that some of their children and partners had been killed when a bomb was dropped on the MOVE Organization.

They were on hunger strikes for over forty days the same year that protest killed Bobby Sands. They counseled other inmates, and even guards, to fortify them against the cruelty and isolation of prison. They saw some of their children raised by estranged family members.

Move Supporters on the Move 9

It has been said in the past many times that people who support MOVE and Mumia are misled or naïve. I have been accused of possessing a laundry list of flaws from anti-American to psychologically feeble to sociopathic. People who spend their time looking at MOVE supporters and judging them will never accept that there is anything wrong with the way they look at MOVE or anyone who is not engaged in their way of life and thinking.

What makes a person who and what they are? When do you become responsible?

So many experiences brought me to the point where I could wrap my head around what John Africa teaches that there is no brief explanation. I just want people to know that I take full responsibility. With full possession of my faculties I have made my choice to believe in MOVE law and MOVE’s version and Mumia’s version of events. I have done my research and now I have no agenda other than to support their freedom.

During the Olympics the news was happy to place the focus on Russia’s human rights abuses. Here in the U.S.A human rights oppression is part of everyday life. This is a colonial power that knowingly and pathologically committed the genocide of millions of Native Indigenous people at the same time as using SLAVES to cement their empire and political control. The European colonies imported people who would be happy to live in conditions better than what they had before and even gave them land and incentives to stay and raise families. The governments in control of colonial interests paid military professionals and pioneers to evict the Native Americans from their homes and quickly replaced them with immigrants to make sure land was never left vacant for their return.

Welcome to the Move 9 Chronicles

Ona Move Everybody!

Welcome and thank you for joining us for day one of The Move 9 Chronicles.

What we intend to do with The Move 9 Chronicles is to introduce people to the Move 9 on a more personal level. Most people may know about The Move 9 or know their names but we really wanna show people who they are and why they mean so much to us and why we are working so hard to bring them home.

For the next 31 days, we will have daily posts by people who have visited the Move 9, who have written the Move 9 and whose lives have been influenced by the strong revolutionary example of the Move 9. We can use the good feeling from this blog to keep the pressure on the PA Parole
Board when we call on Mondays to demand the rightful release of the Move 9.

People can reach the PA Parole Board at (717) 772-4343.

Call and demand The Release of The Move 9. Fasten your seat belts and enjoy the next 31 days of The Move 9 Chronicles.