The ongoing saga of the MOVE bombing remains took a turn as family members, accompanied by officials, stepped forward to reclaim the remains of their kin, once again highlighting the deep wounds from a tragic segment of Philadelphia's history. As reported by CBS News Philadelphia, the family's outcry resurfaced after Penn Museum identified more remains during inventory, which included those of 12-year-old Delisha Africa. The family's demand, bolstered by City Councilmember Jamie Gauthier, is to have the remains returned and to establish a memorial at the site of their ancestral home on Osage Avenue.
Mike Africa Jr., a MOVE member, and other family members accused Penn Museum of dishonesty regarding discovering additional remains, including those thought to belong to Katrina Dotson, Delisha Africa's sister. As Mike Jr. stated, "We know that they're not being honest and forthright because our documentation indicates that there is a third set of remains," speaking to the weight of history yet to be uncovered and addressed. His statements were echoed during a press conference where the gravity of the incident was brought to the fore, emphasizing their demand to return the remains, as detailed by WHYY News immediately.
Continuing to pierce through the haze of historical mishandling and institutional oversight, the MOVE Organization and its supporters pointed to a narrative that stretches back nearly four decades, when Philadelphia police employed a military-grade bomb against the group's Osage Avenue home. As stated by Yvonne Malaika Orr-El, Delisha Africa's sister, during a press conference quoted by NBC Philadelphia, "And then when others try to escape being shot back into that burning fuselage. I want you to think about that. Could you live through that? For your own family member? Your blood? I did."
The response from Penn Museum has been one of acknowledged contact with family members, expressing an intent to align their actions with the family's wishes, as told to various news outlets. "Penn Museum's Director has been in direct contact with the Africa mothers since the information about the additional MOVE remains was shared with them on November 12. We are waiting to learn more about their wishes," a Penn Museum spokesperson said in a WHYY News statement. However, civil rights attorneys representing the Dotson family have expressed disdain for the handling of the victims' remains, calling for a rightful closure to bring peace to the departed.
Many have seen Philadelphia officials' moves to make amends, such as the City Council's 2020 resolution formally apologizing for the MOVE bombing, as insufficient in the face of continuous revelations. The long-standing contention over the propriety of the remains’ handling underscores a broader call for justice, a narrative inseparable from the chronicles of struggle woven into the Black American experience.
