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John Africa

John Africa
Usage Conditions Apply
Artist
Ida Libby Dengrove, 21 Sep 1918 - 13 Apr 2005
Sitter
John Africa, 1931 - 1985
Date
1981
Type
Drawing
Medium
Pastel and charcoal on paper
Dimensions
Image: 43.2 × 33.7 cm (17 × 13 1/4")
Topic
Interior
Drawing
John Africa: Male
John Africa: Society and Social Change\Reformer\Activist\Civil rights activist
John Africa: Society and Social Change\Community leader
Portrait
Place
United States\Pennsylvania\Philadelphia\Philadelphia
Credit Line
National Portrait Gallery, Smithsonian Institution
Restrictions & Rights
Usage conditions apply
Copyright
© Ida Libby Dengrove Family
Object number
NPG.2021.14
Exhibition Label
Born Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
In 1972, Korean War veteran and activist John Africa (born Vincent Leaphart), founded MOVE, a Black liberation and back-to-nature spiritual organization based in Philadelphia that remains active today. Courtroom artist Ida Libby Dengrove sketched this drawing during Africa’s trial for weapons and conspiracy charges. Africa, who chose to represent himself, stated during the trial: “Since I could understand the word revolution, I have been a revolutionary. And I remain a revolutionary because, don’t you see, revolutionary simply means to turn, to generate, to activate.” He was acquitted on July 23, 1981.
MOVE’s frequent clashes with neighbors, city officials, and law enforcement reached a crisis in 1985 when the Philadelphia Police Department laid siege to the group’s communal home in West Philadelphia in an attempt to force their evacuation of the premises. Police ultimately fired thousands of rounds of ammunition, dropped a military-grade bomb, and deliberately allowed a fire to burn, causing the deaths of Africa and ten fellow MOVE members, including five children, and the destruction of sixtyone homes.
Nacido en Filadelfia, Pensilvania
En 1972, el veterano de la Guerra de Corea y activista John Africa (nacido Vincent Leaphart) fundó MOVE, una organización espiritual que promueve la liberación negra y el regreso a la naturaleza y que sigue activa en Filadelfia hasta hoy. La dibujante de tribunales Ida Libby Dengrove hizo este boceto durante el juicio de Africa por posesión de armas y conspiración. Africa, que decidió defenderse él mismo, declaró durante el juicio: “He sido revolucionario desde que pude entender la palabra revolución. Y sigo siendo revolucionario porque, ya ven, revolucionario significa simplemente cambiar, generar, activar”. Fue absuelto el 23 de julio de 1981.
Los frecuentes choques de MOVE con los vecinos, funcionarios y policías de la ciudad llegaron a un punto de crisis en 1985, cuando el Departamento de Policía de Filadelfia asedió el hogar communal del grupo para forzar su desalojo. Los agentes terminaron por disparar miles de balas, arrojaron una bomba de categoría militar y permitieron que ardiera el edificio, causando la muerte de Africa y otros 10 miembros de MOVE, entre ellos cinco niños, y la destrucción de 61 hogares.
Data Source
National Portrait Gallery
Location
Currently not on view