Murder at Ryans Run: exposing the cult of John Africa

July 2nd resonates with profound significance – marking both the launch of this podcast four years ago and the day Pixie Africa broke free from MOVE with her five children. That courageous exodus, described as "driving a tank through a concrete wall," shattered decades of silence and control, allowing truth to finally emerge from within the organization. This date now stands as an Indepe...

WARNING: disturbing language and content. Behind the veneer of revolutionary rhetoric and claims of natural living lies a darker reality that few have ever glimpsed. For decades, MOVE has carefully cultivated an image of a loving, principled liberation movement, but newly uncovered internal communication reveals something far more sinister. These never-before-seen letters—what can only be describe...

“I love y’all so much. Ain’t nothing I wouldn’t do for y’all.” —John Africa (Vincent Leaphart), founder of MOVE Thanks to a confidential source, we gained access to dozens of private MOVE letters sent to incarcerated followers. At first glance, some of these letters appear warm, loyal, even loving - representative of what MOVE says they are - a chosen "family". But beneath the surface li...

*warning: discussion of violence, threats, and the use of a racial slur that is explained but is censored.      What happens when a cult's carefully crafted narrative faces public scrutiny? The answer lies in this shocking exploration of MOVE's 2005 radio appearance and their confrontation with America's Most Wanted five years later. Following Fox 29's coverage of John Gilbride...

When MOVE feels threatened, they turn to friendly media outlets to control their narrative. This episode takes you inside a revealing 2005 WURD Radio broadcast where MOVE members responded to a Fox News segment about the unsolved murder of John Gilbride. The previously unreleased audio exposes how cult propaganda works in real-time. Ramona Africa, MOVE's Minister of Information, leads a coord...

Here is the very interesting Howard Stern show mentioned in previous episode about Mumia - TC 01:30:47 -01:51:08 (thanks to listener Alex). A prison friendship leads to an unexpected confession that threatens to collapse the entire Free Mumia movement. Twenty-five years after a bombshell Vanity Fair article claimed Mumia Abu-Jamal admitted to killing Officer Daniel Faulkner, the source of that rev...

A powerful moment in 1999 captures everything you need to know about how MOVE operated. When Rage Against the Machine held a benefit concert for Mumia Abu-Jamal, they didn't just pack an arena with passionate fans—they delivered approximately $75,000 straight into MOVE's coffers. The organization's leadership understood that Mumia's case was their golden ticket to Hollywood, ma...

The haunting story of the MOVE bombing unfolds through the eyes of Philadelphia police officer Jim Berghaier—the Stakeout Cop who rescued 13-year-old Birdie Africa, the only child to survive when authorities dropped explosives on a West Philadelphia rowhouse on May 13, 1985. Standing in the same narrow alley where it happened, Berghaier walks us minute by minute through his experience of that day....

The shadows of Philadelphia's MOVE organization stretch far beyond the infamous 1985 bombing on Osage Avenue. Through an exclusive interview with Richard Garland—a former gang member who encountered MOVE while incarcerated at Holmesburg Prison—we uncover the cult's prison recruitment tactics and the mysterious figure at its center. Garland reveals his extraordinary three-day encounter wi...

When memoir meets mythology, what happens to historical truth? This gripping episode investigates Mike Africa Jr.'s vivid account of his childhood in Richmond, Virginia, revealing a remarkable disconnect between his published narrative and documented reality. Through painstaking research, including interviews with the retired detective who led the 1980 operation, the prosecutor who brought ch...

This is Part 2—or as they say in France (where MOVE often solicits donations for themselves and Mumia)— Part Deux . It’s not as shocking as Part 1, but it’s still never-before-heard audio from 2001, recorded in the basement of MOVE’s Philly headquarters. A 23-year-old Mike Africa Jr. (aka Michael Davis) reflects on legacy, identity, and his self-declared natural rapping talent (pro tip: double the...

In this immersive, unedited episode, you’re sitting in the basement of MOVE headquarters in West Philly—24 years ago—listening as Michael Davis (known publicly as Mike Africa Jr., and within MOVE by the nickname “Puga,” which he no longer uses - talks freely while being interviewed by longtime MOVE "supporter" Peter Gordon, aka Dubside. At 23, Mike shares a version of MOVE’s history—and...

Two days before the 1985 fire that killed 5 children and 6 adults inside 6221 Osage Avenue, MOVE’s Minister of Information, Ramona Africa, sent a letter to police: “We will burn this motherf***ing house down and burn you up with us.” This handwritten letter has been publicly available for 40 years. So why is it rarely included in books, documentaries, or retrospectives—especially now, 40 years lat...

This episode was put together quickly in order to publish before current charismatic spokesperson Mike Africa Jr. goes on WURD radio to talk about remains of MOVE children so this is my effort to put some questions out there for WURD to ask Mike.  I will write up better show notes tomorrow.  Going hit the hay so I can wake up at 5am my time to catch WURD in Philadelphia. Will post images etc. that...

*cw: profanity and death of children It's hard to believe that an organization like MOVE, which preaches about natural foods and healthy living, could be responsible for the neglect and abuse suffered by its children. In this episode we share exclusive investigative information about Shaeida "She She" Hollaway, who disappeared from the group's care in 1978 at the age of five. T...

*explicit language and threats of violence Whenever MOVE speaks it is always in "the plural" as "The MOVE Family" but what happens in the family stays in the family, like the movie FIGHT CLUB but even more insidious and culty.  So outsiders think MOVE is what they say they are - a loving committed family.  Over the two seasons you have heard exclusive interviews with former MOV...

*explicit: child abuse, animal abuse and racial slurs MOVE wants the public to see them as a black liberation group and so Ria Africa has been conveniently erased from their current narrative which is why we made this entire episode all about the white rich girl named Suzy who became Sue Africa and then Ria  Africa.  For decades Ria has used the power given to her by MOVE founder Vincent Leaphart...

Mumia Abu Jamal is mostly known to the world as a former black panther, former radio journalist and for the last 41 years as a convicted murderer who had been sentenced to death but now is serving life in prison without parole.  What is less known about Mumia Abu Jamal is his long history with MOVE before he shoots Officer Daniel Faulkner on December 9, 1981 and that Mumia's lead publicist &q...

Born into MOVE 15 years after the most deadly confrontation on Osage Avenue, Rain Africa was groomed to be a spokesperson and "fundraiser" for MOVE and Mumia Abu Jamal which she says is one in the same.   Rain breaks down how MOVE deftly and deceptively uses the media, academics and "the movement". The producers of this podcast wish to stress that all individuals reference in t...

*CW: discussion of domestic abuse, threats of violence and loss of life. After more than 30 years Jeanne Africa is breaking her silence about the 5 years she was a devoted MOVE member sharing never-before-heard details about what she alleges was the true nature of MOVE - to overthrow the system by violent revolution and that in following Vincent Leaphart's teachings all of his followers were...

This episode examines the real man behind THE COORDINATOR of MOVE, Vincent Leaphart, the leader and creator of the group who gave himself the name of JOHN AFRICA and the title of THE COORDINATOR.   Vincent Leaphart, like most cult leaders, put his followers on the front line of his "revolution" and they certainly paid the price with their freedom and in some cases their lives. If you hav...

*CW: discussion of infant deaths, child neglect, child abuse, and police brutality.    MOVE says their religion is Life.  "JOHN AFRICA taught us that Life is the priority. Nothing is more important or as important as Life, the force that keeps us alive. All life comes from one source, from God, Mom Nature, Mama.  Each individual life is dependent on every other life, and all life has a purpos...

*CW: child neglect and abuse. MOVE has always bragged about the health/strength of the children raised in MOVE were even more exceptional because they were raised as the "pure generation" under MOVE Law - the teachings of John Africa but the reality was the children were sick with diseases  like Kwashiorkor which is only seen in developing countries experiencing famine. What are the sign...

*Sensitive content about police brutality, abuse against children and women. Mention of racial slurs. MOVE began in the West Philadelphia neighborhood of Powelton Village at a time when counterculture and revolution were the norm and a former Black Panther once crossed paths with a handyman named Vince who then became John Africa.  The Black Panther Party Ten-Point Program Timothy Hayes Blog Big s...

MOVE claims that their "organization" was created by one man, a black man named Vincent Leaphart.  Vincent did not create the MOVE cult by himself, he had a lot of help from a white graduate student named Donald Glassey who then escaped and became a government informant in order to stop Vincent's bomb plot.     The producers of this podcast wish to stress that all individuals refere...