[ONAMOVE]

Ramona Africa, International Spokesperson for the MOVE Organization
April 18 11:30 AM
Hamline School of Law Room 105

The MOVE 9 have been in prison since 1978 serving 30-100 year sentences following a massive police assault on their home in Powelton Village, Philadelphia where a police officer was killed by an unidentified bullet. MOVE supporter Mumia Abu-Jamal, a journalist and former Black Panther, is a political prisoner known worldwide as the "voice of the voiceless." Abu-Jamal was sentenced to Pennsylvania's death row in 1982 for the killing of a Philadelphia police officer.
Ramona Africa is the only adult survivor of the May 13th, 1985 bombing of the MOVE family by Philadelphia police and city officials which resulted in the death of 11 people, 5 of whom were children, and the destruction of 60 homes on Osage Avenue. Ramona was immediately taken into custody and eventually convicted of riot and conspiracy. She spent the next seven years in prison. Immediately upon her release in 1992, she rejoined her family's struggle to free the MOVE 9 and Mumia Abu-Jamal. In April of 1996 Ramona headed a civil lawsuit against the City and its officials for the May 13th bombing. On June 24th of the same year, the jury rendered a verdict in her favor. She has spoke at numerous colleges and universities throughout the U.S. and abroad.

This event is to demonstrate support and raise awareness, for the MOVE 9, Mumia Abu Jamal, all Political Prisoners in the U.S., and show the need for reform to the U.S. Prison Industrial Complex which currently encompasses over 7.3 million people.