Assata Shakur, an activist associated with the Black Liberation Army, has died in Havana, Cuba, at the age of 78. According to a statement from Cuba’s foreign affairs ministry, Shakur passed away on Thursday due to unspecified health conditions and as a result of advanced age.
Shakur, who was also known as Joanne Chesimard, had been on the FBI’s Most Wanted Terrorists list for several years following her escape from a New Jersey women’s prison in 1979. She was serving a life sentence for her conviction in a shootout that resulted in the death of New Jersey state trooper Werner Foerster and fellow activist Zayd Malik Shakur. Throughout her life, Shakur maintained her innocence and described her trial as unfair, citing the all-white jury. In a 1998 NBC News interview, she expressed concerns for her safety and a belief that she would not receive justice in the United States.
Shakur was born JoAnne Deborah Byron in July 1947 in New York City and grew up between New York and Wilmington, North Carolina. She became politically active during her college years, first aligning with the Black Panther Party, which advocated for radical resistance to racism and provided social services to Black communities. Later, she joined the more militant Black Liberation Army, which was also under extensive FBI surveillance.
Shakur’s life in Cuba began in 1984 when she was granted asylum by former Cuban president Fidel Castro. Her status in Cuba has been a contentious issue in U.S.-Cuban relations. She was the first woman to be placed on the FBI’s Most Wanted Terrorists list, with both the agency and New Jersey offering a $1 million reward for information leading to her capture.
Shakur is survived by her daughter, Kakuya Shakur, who shared her feelings of loss on social media. Her legacy continues to resonate in music and popular culture, with references to her in works by artists such as Public Enemy and Common.
Source: https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cm28yrz6502o?at_medium=RSS&at_campaign=rss