We are here to voice our outrage with Philadelphia City Council's planned "celebratory" re-naming of the 2400 block of N. 59th Street (59th St. between City Ave. and Overbrook Ave.) to "Wilson Goode Way." Introduced and passed in City Council at the end of June before Council-members broke for the summer, the community (including residents in that particular neighborhood and on that block) has just recently been informed of this careless, negligent and totally disrespectful bill and what it means for the citizens in the City of Philadelphia.

On May 13th, 1985, Wilson Goode was in leadership as Philadelphia's first African-American Mayor, when a bomb was dropped from a helicopter onto 6221 Osage Ave. in west Philadelphia, during a confrontation between the police and the MOVE organization. The bomb and subsequent fire ended up killing 11 MOVE members (men, women and 5 children), burned down 61 homes and left 250 people homeless. Today, Ramona Africa, the lone adult survivor of that bombing, is fighting for her life with cancer that may be from the smoke, gas and fire that she ingested during the bombing.

The MOVE bombing is a tragic, anger-inducing and traumatizing event that Philadelphians have had to grapple with for 33 plus years now. Local civic associations were very surprised at this news, as were long-time Osage Ave. residents. The idea of having a street named after this man - who was involved in this globally known, vicious act - is sickening, disappointing and shows a lack of care for the humanity of those who understand the connection between Wilson Goode and MOVE. It also shows that City Council in general, and Councilman Curtis Jones in specific, care more about one man's ego than actual accountability and the opportunity to at some point, properly heal from this violent episode that scars Philadelphia's history.

At a time where symbols of hate, oppression and white supremacy are being taken down and removed all around the country, it is unfathomable to believe that our city is in the process of putting one up.

We are calling for City Council to NOT RE-NAME THAT BLOCK OF 59th STREET TO WILSON GOODE WAY. It will be a huge travesty for this to occur. Concerned community members are making this united demand. 

Do what is right. No street change.