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John Africa
Born	Vincent Leaphart July 26, 1931(1931-07-26) Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Died	May 13, 1985 (aged 53) Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Known for	founder of MOVE

John Africa (July 26, 1931 – May 13, 1985), born Vincent Leaphart, was a charismatic leader and a founder of MOVE, a communal and political organization prominent in the United States in the early 1970s. Africa died along with five other adults and five children when the Philadelphia Police Department dropped an explosive device on the MOVE headquarters during a law enforcement action. The explosion started an uncontrolled fire. As a result, 53 houses were destroyed, 8 more were damaged and 240 people were left homeless.^[1]

Contents 1 Early life 2 MOVE 3 Influence on others 4 References 5 See also

[edit] Early life

Africa was born Vincent Leaphart on July 26, 1931 in the Mantua neighborhood of West Philadelphia. Leaphart's mother died when he was young and he blamed the hospital where she was being treated for her death. Leaphart served in the Korean War, from which he derived an early hatred of the American class system and what he perceived as its ties to race. He adopted the name "John Africa" because of his ethnic origin as an African-American, and because he regarded the continent of Africa as the origin of life itself.

Africa later met Donald Glassey, a social worker from the University of Pennsylvania, with whom he began to collaborate. Africa was functionally illiterate, so Glassey wrote down Africa's ideas. Glassey's notes would eventually become a document called The Guideline.^[2]

[edit] MOVE

During the standoff in the summer of 1977, federal ATF agents had gotten Donald Glassey, a former MOVE associate, to implicate the organization in a bomb making and gun running scheme. When ten indictments were handed down on September 1, 1977, only two actual MOVE members were named: Vincent and Alphonso Africa. It took federal agents over 3 years to find them. Meanwhile Glassey was put in the federal witness protection program.^{[citation needed]}

On May 13, 1981, federal agents arrested nine MOVE members in Rochester, New York. Vincent and Alfonso were extradited to Philadelphia for trial on the bomb making and weapons charges. New York state judge Andrew Celli warned Pennsylvania officials he might release the others based on their arguments that the fugitive warrants for them were illegal. Fearful of losing their quarry, Rendell's office then come up with extradition warrants signed by Governor Dick Thornburgh, and MOVE members were taken back to Philadelphia.^{[citation needed]}

Sue, Carlos, Alberta, Dennis, Conrad, Raymond and Jerry Africa were tried. Judge Kendall Shoyer ordered Alberta Africa bound and gagged to keep her from raising the issue.^{[citation needed]}

In July 1981, Vincent Africa, also known as John Africa, and Alfonso Africa conducted their own defense in a trial at the federal courthouse in Philadelphia. The case was called "JOHN AFRICA vs. THE SYSTEM".^{[citation needed]} Vincent slept through much of the case as cops, ATF agents, explosive experts and former MOVE associates testified. Vincent made no direct rebuttal to the government's evidence and testimony, but instead gave a speech against the system. The jury declared Vincent and Alfonso not guilty on all charges.

[edit] Influence on others

Mumia Abu-Jamal follows the teachings of John Africa,^[3] and is a supporter of the MOVE organization.^[4] During Abu-Jamal's 1982 murder trial, Abu-Jamal made repeated requests to be represented by Africa, which were denied by the presiding judge since Africa was not an attorney.^[5]

[edit] References

[edit] See also

• MOVE
• development criticism
• anarcho-primitivism
• black nationalism