1 00:00:00,040 --> 00:00:03,640 Speaker 1: Hey, y'all, Eve's here. Today's episode contains not just one, 2 00:00:03,880 --> 00:00:07,080 Speaker 1: but two nuggets of history. Consider it a double feature. 3 00:00:07,400 --> 00:00:12,040 Speaker 1: Enjoy the show. Hey, I'm Eves, and Welcome to This 4 00:00:12,160 --> 00:00:15,920 Speaker 1: Day in History Class, a show that uncovers history one 5 00:00:16,040 --> 00:00:26,040 Speaker 1: day at a time. The day was made thirteenth, nineteen 6 00:00:26,120 --> 00:00:30,440 Speaker 1: eighty five. The only aerial bombing committed by police in 7 00:00:30,480 --> 00:00:35,680 Speaker 1: the United States, took place in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The bombing 8 00:00:35,720 --> 00:00:38,800 Speaker 1: was a response to years of escalating conflict between police 9 00:00:38,840 --> 00:00:42,600 Speaker 1: and MOVE, a radical black liberation group. It ended in 10 00:00:42,640 --> 00:00:46,080 Speaker 1: the death of eleven people and the destruction of dozens 11 00:00:46,080 --> 00:00:50,360 Speaker 1: of houses. MOVE was founded in nineteen seventy two by 12 00:00:50,440 --> 00:00:55,400 Speaker 1: John Africa born Vincent Lepard. The early nineteen seventies was 13 00:00:55,440 --> 00:00:59,160 Speaker 1: a turbulent time in American race relations, as black power 14 00:00:59,200 --> 00:01:03,080 Speaker 1: groups organ eyes to demand rights and protested the social 15 00:01:03,120 --> 00:01:07,600 Speaker 1: ills of contemporary society. On top of that, opposition to 16 00:01:07,640 --> 00:01:11,560 Speaker 1: the protracted Vietnam War was causing a lot of political strife. 17 00:01:12,959 --> 00:01:16,240 Speaker 1: After John Africa served in the Korean War, he became 18 00:01:16,319 --> 00:01:21,120 Speaker 1: dissatisfied with life in America. John Africa and MOVE advocated 19 00:01:21,160 --> 00:01:26,080 Speaker 1: for black nationalism and anarcho primitivism. They wanted to return 20 00:01:26,120 --> 00:01:30,320 Speaker 1: to a hunter gatherer society without modern technology and medicine. 21 00:01:31,160 --> 00:01:34,240 Speaker 1: They also supported animal rights, as they believed that all 22 00:01:34,319 --> 00:01:38,600 Speaker 1: living beings should be treated ethically. Members of MOVE changed 23 00:01:38,640 --> 00:01:42,080 Speaker 1: their last name to Africa and recognition of their homeland, 24 00:01:42,720 --> 00:01:46,440 Speaker 1: and the organization was not quiet about its socio political aims. 25 00:01:47,640 --> 00:01:51,840 Speaker 1: MOVE members lived communally, mainly in West Philadelphia. A big 26 00:01:51,880 --> 00:01:55,760 Speaker 1: part of MOVE philosophy, detailed in the three page manifesto, 27 00:01:55,880 --> 00:01:59,320 Speaker 1: known as the Teaching of John Africa, is self reliance 28 00:02:00,040 --> 00:02:03,400 Speaker 1: that means that MOVE members eight raw food, composted, and 29 00:02:03,480 --> 00:02:07,000 Speaker 1: scavenged even when in the city. They lived a life 30 00:02:07,000 --> 00:02:10,160 Speaker 1: close to nature, but their neighbors took issue with their 31 00:02:10,200 --> 00:02:13,240 Speaker 1: ways of life and how loud their public demonstrations for 32 00:02:13,360 --> 00:02:17,919 Speaker 1: racial justice and animal rights were. In nineteen seventy seven, 33 00:02:18,200 --> 00:02:20,840 Speaker 1: people complained about the way MOVE members lived and how 34 00:02:20,919 --> 00:02:23,880 Speaker 1: loud their protests were. Their neighbors said they had too 35 00:02:23,919 --> 00:02:27,520 Speaker 1: many animals and their property, were violating weapons codes, were 36 00:02:27,600 --> 00:02:32,120 Speaker 1: keeping filthy conditions, and refusing to pay utility bills. So 37 00:02:32,160 --> 00:02:34,600 Speaker 1: the police got a court order that required the group 38 00:02:34,639 --> 00:02:37,800 Speaker 1: to vacate their compound and Palton village at three oh 39 00:02:37,840 --> 00:02:41,640 Speaker 1: seven to three o nine North thirty third Street. Move 40 00:02:41,720 --> 00:02:44,519 Speaker 1: agreed to leave the location and give up their weapons 41 00:02:44,800 --> 00:02:48,320 Speaker 1: if members who were arrested during demonstrations were released from jail. 42 00:02:49,160 --> 00:02:53,320 Speaker 1: The police agreed, Moves did not leave the property. The 43 00:02:53,360 --> 00:02:55,920 Speaker 1: next year, that conflict took a turn for the worst. 44 00:02:57,200 --> 00:03:00,880 Speaker 1: On August nine, eight police showed up at the compound 45 00:03:00,919 --> 00:03:04,200 Speaker 1: to execute the court order that turned into a standoff 46 00:03:04,240 --> 00:03:08,920 Speaker 1: where five firefighters, seven police officers, three MOVE members, and 47 00:03:09,040 --> 00:03:13,000 Speaker 1: three bystanders were hurt. Police Officer James J. Ramp was 48 00:03:13,040 --> 00:03:15,480 Speaker 1: shot in the back of his neck and died during 49 00:03:15,480 --> 00:03:19,520 Speaker 1: the firefight, though there was back and forth over whether 50 00:03:19,560 --> 00:03:22,040 Speaker 1: the fatal gunshot could have come from a MOVE weapon. 51 00:03:22,760 --> 00:03:26,960 Speaker 1: Nine MOVE members, dubbed the Move nine were arrested and 52 00:03:27,000 --> 00:03:32,880 Speaker 1: convicted of third degree murder. Move transferred to one oh 53 00:03:33,000 --> 00:03:37,040 Speaker 1: Stage Avenue, still in West Philadelphia. They put bunkers in 54 00:03:37,040 --> 00:03:39,600 Speaker 1: the house and on the roof, and they blasted their 55 00:03:39,640 --> 00:03:43,880 Speaker 1: message from a bullhorn day and night. Neighbors again complained 56 00:03:43,920 --> 00:03:47,240 Speaker 1: about the cleanliness of the house and excessive animals, and 57 00:03:47,280 --> 00:03:50,800 Speaker 1: said that MOVE members were committing verbal and physical assaults. 58 00:03:51,680 --> 00:03:56,360 Speaker 1: So on May thirteenth, night, Mayor of Philadelphia W. Wilson 59 00:03:56,400 --> 00:03:59,240 Speaker 1: Good sent police to the home to execute warrants for 60 00:03:59,280 --> 00:04:02,040 Speaker 1: the arrest of all the people who lived at the compound. 61 00:04:02,840 --> 00:04:05,880 Speaker 1: But when police arrived at the house, MOVE members did 62 00:04:05,920 --> 00:04:08,520 Speaker 1: not respond to their demands to let them into the 63 00:04:08,600 --> 00:04:13,000 Speaker 1: home or to let children inside leave. Police Commissioner greg 64 00:04:13,080 --> 00:04:18,080 Speaker 1: Or Sandbor said over a loudspeaker, attention MOVE this is America, 65 00:04:18,480 --> 00:04:22,640 Speaker 1: and began attacking MOVE. Police used fire hoses on the house, 66 00:04:23,080 --> 00:04:27,040 Speaker 1: fumigated the house with tear gas, then began shooting thousands 67 00:04:27,040 --> 00:04:31,600 Speaker 1: of rounds into the compound. A Pennsylvania State Police helicopter 68 00:04:31,720 --> 00:04:35,120 Speaker 1: dropped C four explosives onto the house, which caused the 69 00:04:35,200 --> 00:04:38,039 Speaker 1: fire that was further fueled by gasoline in the house. 70 00:04:38,880 --> 00:04:42,800 Speaker 1: Because the firefight ensued, police let the fire spread rather 71 00:04:42,880 --> 00:04:47,320 Speaker 1: than send in firefighters. The fire destroyed more than sixty homes, 72 00:04:47,360 --> 00:04:51,120 Speaker 1: and six adults and five children inside the home were killed. 73 00:04:52,800 --> 00:04:55,200 Speaker 1: John Africa was one of the people who died in 74 00:04:55,200 --> 00:04:58,880 Speaker 1: the incident. The only MOVE members to survive the attack 75 00:04:59,200 --> 00:05:04,080 Speaker 1: were Ramona Africa and Birdie Africa. The incident was covered 76 00:05:04,120 --> 00:05:08,240 Speaker 1: live on television. Philadelphia had become the quote city that 77 00:05:08,360 --> 00:05:13,039 Speaker 1: bombed itself. Mayor good enlisted a commission to investigate the 78 00:05:13,040 --> 00:05:16,919 Speaker 1: bombing in nineteen eighty six. The Commissions in March sixth, 79 00:05:17,040 --> 00:05:21,240 Speaker 1: nineteen six report said that negotiations were haphazard, the mayor's 80 00:05:21,279 --> 00:05:23,960 Speaker 1: failure to put an end to the operation was quote 81 00:05:24,200 --> 00:05:29,599 Speaker 1: grossly negligent, and dropping the bomb was quote unconscionable. The 82 00:05:29,600 --> 00:05:32,359 Speaker 1: commission declared that the police would not have used the 83 00:05:32,400 --> 00:05:36,120 Speaker 1: same violent tactics in a white neighborhood. But even though 84 00:05:36,120 --> 00:05:39,720 Speaker 1: the commission called for a grand jury investigation, there were 85 00:05:39,720 --> 00:05:43,599 Speaker 1: no prosecutions, and Good was re elected In nineteen eighty seven. 86 00:05:45,480 --> 00:05:49,000 Speaker 1: Ramona Africa was convicted on riot charges and spent seven 87 00:05:49,120 --> 00:05:52,280 Speaker 1: years in prison. She and the family members of two 88 00:05:52,360 --> 00:05:55,520 Speaker 1: relatives who were killed in the attack one one point 89 00:05:55,600 --> 00:05:59,400 Speaker 1: five million dollars in a civil suit judgment. The federal 90 00:05:59,480 --> 00:06:03,800 Speaker 1: jury also found that officials authorized excessive use of force 91 00:06:04,120 --> 00:06:08,720 Speaker 1: and violated Fourth Amendment rights. Bertie Africa, who was just 92 00:06:08,960 --> 00:06:11,440 Speaker 1: thirteen at the time of the bombing, went back to 93 00:06:11,560 --> 00:06:14,359 Speaker 1: using the name Michael Ward and was placed in his 94 00:06:14,440 --> 00:06:19,960 Speaker 1: father's custody. Cobbs Creek, the neighborhood where the compound was located, 95 00:06:20,000 --> 00:06:24,200 Speaker 1: never completely recovered. The homes built to replace those destroyed 96 00:06:24,240 --> 00:06:27,400 Speaker 1: were shoddily constructed. And when the city bought the homes 97 00:06:27,440 --> 00:06:33,200 Speaker 1: in the early two thousand's, residents left in droves. Newly 98 00:06:33,240 --> 00:06:36,479 Speaker 1: rehabbed homes in the neighborhood were ready for sale, though 99 00:06:36,560 --> 00:06:39,440 Speaker 1: neighbors were worried about the high prices driving them out. 100 00:06:41,040 --> 00:06:43,520 Speaker 1: I'm Eve jeffco and hopefully you know a little more 101 00:06:43,520 --> 00:06:48,599 Speaker 1: about history today than you did yesterday. If you're so inclined, 102 00:06:48,760 --> 00:06:52,240 Speaker 1: you can follow us at T D I h C 103 00:06:52,560 --> 00:06:57,360 Speaker 1: Podcasts on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter. We'll be back with 104 00:06:57,400 --> 00:07:08,800 Speaker 1: more history tomorrow. Hello everyone, I'm Eves and welcome to 105 00:07:08,839 --> 00:07:11,760 Speaker 1: this dand History Class, a podcast that brings you a 106 00:07:11,800 --> 00:07:20,600 Speaker 1: slice of history every day. The day was made eighteen 107 00:07:20,640 --> 00:07:26,040 Speaker 1: sixty one, Australian amateur astronomer John Tibbott observed the Great 108 00:07:26,080 --> 00:07:29,880 Speaker 1: Comment of eighteen sixty one. The comment was visible to 109 00:07:29,920 --> 00:07:32,560 Speaker 1: the naked eye for about three months, and it was 110 00:07:32,640 --> 00:07:37,480 Speaker 1: visible through telescopes until eighteen sixty two. John Tebbott was 111 00:07:37,520 --> 00:07:40,400 Speaker 1: born in Windsor, New South Wales, and his father was 112 00:07:40,440 --> 00:07:43,800 Speaker 1: a farmer. He developed an interest in astronomy early on, 113 00:07:44,160 --> 00:07:47,200 Speaker 1: thanks to conversations with his tutor at work, Waife, and 114 00:07:47,480 --> 00:07:51,640 Speaker 1: articles that he read by astronomer John Russell Hind. In 115 00:07:51,760 --> 00:07:55,280 Speaker 1: eighteen fifty three, Tebbitt bought a marine sextant. He also 116 00:07:55,360 --> 00:07:58,080 Speaker 1: had a clock with the seconds pendulum that he regulated 117 00:07:58,080 --> 00:08:01,880 Speaker 1: by making celestial observations, and he had a small telescope. 118 00:08:02,240 --> 00:08:05,840 Speaker 1: Over the next few years he acquired more instruments. His 119 00:08:05,920 --> 00:08:09,440 Speaker 1: first astronomical publication was in the Sydney Morning Herald in 120 00:08:09,520 --> 00:08:14,400 Speaker 1: eighteen fifty four. When commets appeared, Tebbitt would calculate their orbit. 121 00:08:14,840 --> 00:08:17,800 Speaker 1: A commet isn't icy body in space that releases gas 122 00:08:17,800 --> 00:08:21,000 Speaker 1: as it passes near the Sun. In eighteen fifty eight 123 00:08:21,080 --> 00:08:25,480 Speaker 1: he observed Donatis comment in the Australian sky. Tebbitt also 124 00:08:25,520 --> 00:08:30,320 Speaker 1: observed phenomena like meteors, planets and variable stars between eighteen 125 00:08:30,320 --> 00:08:33,560 Speaker 1: fifty four. In eighteen sixty two he published thirty four 126 00:08:33,600 --> 00:08:37,960 Speaker 1: pieces in the Herald. In eighteen sixty the government astronomer 127 00:08:38,000 --> 00:08:41,959 Speaker 1: William Scott invited Tebbit to work at the Sydney Observatory, 128 00:08:42,000 --> 00:08:46,840 Speaker 1: but Tebbitt turned down the request. On eighteen sixty one, 129 00:08:47,080 --> 00:08:51,120 Speaker 1: Tebbitt was searching the skies for comets through his marine telescope. 130 00:08:51,200 --> 00:08:53,680 Speaker 1: He saw a nebulous object near a star and the 131 00:08:53,720 --> 00:08:57,960 Speaker 1: constellation a writtiness. He decided to keep observing the object. 132 00:08:58,840 --> 00:09:01,720 Speaker 1: Tebbot sent a letter to the Sydney Morning Herald announcing 133 00:09:01,720 --> 00:09:04,360 Speaker 1: his discovery of the Great Comment of eighteen sixty one, 134 00:09:04,640 --> 00:09:09,120 Speaker 1: and it was published in the paper on May seven, birthday. 135 00:09:09,320 --> 00:09:12,920 Speaker 1: In it, he said the following, While engaged in examining 136 00:09:12,960 --> 00:09:16,200 Speaker 1: the heavens with a small telescope on the evening of Monday, 137 00:09:16,360 --> 00:09:20,120 Speaker 1: the thirteenth instant, a nebulous star of about the fifth magnitude, 138 00:09:20,120 --> 00:09:24,000 Speaker 1: and the constellation a reddiness attracted my attention. It was 139 00:09:24,120 --> 00:09:26,920 Speaker 1: then distant a few minutes of a degree from thirteen 140 00:09:27,000 --> 00:09:31,160 Speaker 1: sixteen of Leciah's catalog, a star of the sixth magnitude. 141 00:09:31,720 --> 00:09:34,200 Speaker 1: Finding there was no nebulous star in the catalog in 142 00:09:34,240 --> 00:09:38,240 Speaker 1: the same position, I immediately conjectured it must be a comet. 143 00:09:39,559 --> 00:09:41,720 Speaker 1: He went on to say that he realized the commet 144 00:09:41,760 --> 00:09:44,679 Speaker 1: had moved half a degree, and that he had told 145 00:09:44,800 --> 00:09:49,800 Speaker 1: William Scott about his observation. The announcement incited a considerable 146 00:09:49,840 --> 00:09:55,600 Speaker 1: amount of public excitement and responses. Tebbitt continued making observations 147 00:09:55,600 --> 00:09:58,440 Speaker 1: on the comment for weeks. The comment became visible in 148 00:09:58,480 --> 00:10:02,200 Speaker 1: the northern hemisphere in late Earth passed through the comments 149 00:10:02,280 --> 00:10:06,040 Speaker 1: tale causing meteor showers. It remained visible to the eye 150 00:10:06,040 --> 00:10:08,760 Speaker 1: for around three months, but it stayed visible through a 151 00:10:08,800 --> 00:10:13,320 Speaker 1: telescope for several more months. The comment is formally designated 152 00:10:13,480 --> 00:10:16,679 Speaker 1: CE eighteen sixty one J one in eighteen sixty one 153 00:10:16,760 --> 00:10:21,280 Speaker 1: to The term great comment isn't an official designation, but 154 00:10:21,400 --> 00:10:24,880 Speaker 1: it typically describes a commet that is extremely bright, as 155 00:10:25,040 --> 00:10:28,000 Speaker 1: most comments are not visible to the naked eye, and 156 00:10:28,040 --> 00:10:31,880 Speaker 1: even when they are, they're often fuzzy and faint. Tibet 157 00:10:31,960 --> 00:10:35,760 Speaker 1: built his own small observatory and continue to publish his observations. 158 00:10:36,320 --> 00:10:39,000 Speaker 1: The great comment is expected to return in the twenty 159 00:10:39,000 --> 00:10:43,200 Speaker 1: third century. I'm each Jeff Coote and hopefully you know 160 00:10:43,280 --> 00:10:46,079 Speaker 1: a little more about history today than you did yesterday. 161 00:10:46,679 --> 00:10:49,400 Speaker 1: And if you have any suggestions for shows, feel free 162 00:10:49,440 --> 00:10:51,840 Speaker 1: to send them to us on social media. We're at 163 00:10:52,120 --> 00:10:55,240 Speaker 1: D D I h C podcast. You can also send 164 00:10:55,280 --> 00:10:57,720 Speaker 1: us a note via email at this day at iHeart 165 00:10:57,760 --> 00:11:00,360 Speaker 1: media dot com. Thanks again for lest me to the 166 00:11:00,360 --> 00:11:10,040 Speaker 1: show and we'll see you tomorrow. 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