Philadelphia police drop a bomb on the headquarters of the Black liberation group MOVE, killing 11 people, including five children, and destroying 61 homes.
At a Glance
- Date
- 13 May 1985
- Location
- Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
- Category
- Civil Unrest & Racial Violence
- Source
- MOVE Commission Report (1986) · Britannica
What It Meant Then
It was an unprecedented use of aerial force by police against U.S. residents.
What It Means Now
The MOVE bombing remains a stark case study in state violence against Black communities.
Cite this page
- MLA
- “Philadelphia Police Bomb the MOVE House.” Black-History.com, 30 Sept. 2026, https://black-history.com/on-this-day/philadelphia-police-bomb-the-move-house/.
- APA
- Black-History.com Editors. (2026, September 30). Philadelphia Police Bomb the MOVE House. Black-History.com. https://black-history.com/on-this-day/philadelphia-police-bomb-the-move-house/
- Chicago
- Black-History.com Editors. “Philadelphia Police Bomb the MOVE House.” Black-History.com. September 30, 2026. https://black-history.com/on-this-day/philadelphia-police-bomb-the-move-house/.
Editorial Note
By the Black-History.com editors. Last reviewed 30 September 2026. To suggest a primary source or a correction, write to editors@black-history.com or use our corrections form.