The New York Times published a long story about the bombing. This article not only discusses the bombing but also the immediate justifications for assaulting the compound and dropping the bomb. Despite an evident lack of planning, city officials did…
Residents affected by the fire raised criticisms of the city's attempts to rebuild. Not only were they concerned that the new homes would not be up to standard, but also that they hadn't received much of the money raised by relief agencies. Clifford…
This New York Times article made public the findings of the Philadelphia Special Investigation Commission, a committee that had been created specifically to investigate the MOVE bombing. While concluding that the bombing was "excessive" and…
This New York Times article demonstrates how unprepared the city was to deal with the ramifications of the bombing, as well as major communication issues at the top level of city government. As the investigation was ongoing, Mayor W. Wilson Goode…
This is a collection of interviews done with various people associated with the MOVE bombing. Interviewees include Ramona Africa (a MOVE member and the only adult survivor of the May 1985 confrontation), Officer James Berghaier, Fire Commissioner…
Ultimately, no city officials were ever charged with a crime for the bombing and the resulting fire. The grand jury that overheard the case used blistering language to condemn Mayor Goode, but voted not to file charges by an overwhelming majority.…
An aerial view of the burned out rowhouses, taken the day after the fire. Osage Avenue is visible in between the ruins. The aerial view captures the totality of the destruction. City officials scrambled to rebuild the destroyed property. Goode…
This photo was taken the day after the bombing. After the fire was put out, first responders arrived on the scene to clean up the damage. Included in that cleanup was taking away the remains of eleven MOVE members who died; five of the dead were…
Even as recently as 2010, many of the rebuilt homes on Osage Avenue remain unoccupied. The buildings were so poorly constructed that residents sued the city, but the city later dismissed the lawsuit. This photo shows what the neighborhood looked like…
Residents were devastated to find that all their possessions had burned along with their homes. Here, unidentified residents weep at the sight of what is left of their neighborhood. While the city promised to rebuild, what residents received were…