Assata Shakur, political activist and author, dies at 78 in Cuba

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Assata Shakur, a global symbol of Black resistance and political exile, died on September 25, 2025, in Havana, Cuba.

She was 78.

Cuban officials cited age-related health conditions as the cause of death.

Early Life and Political Awakening for Assata Shakur

Born JoAnne Deborah Byron in Queens, New York, on July 16, 1947, Shakur was raised in segregated Wilmington, North Carolina. She returned to New York as a teenager, working low-wage jobs before enrolling in college. A 1964 conversation with African students sparked her political awakening. She later wrote, “Only a fool lets somebody else tell him who his enemy is.”

From Student Activist to Revolutionary

Shakur studied at Borough of Manhattan Community College and City College of New York. She joined the Golden Drums society and advocated for Black studies. In 1967, she married fellow activist Louis Chesimard and divorced three years later. That same year, she joined the Black Panther Party but left due to internal issues and historical gaps.

Assata Shakur: Embracing a New Identity

In 1971, she adopted the name Assata Olugbala Shakur. “Assata” means “she who struggles” in Swahili, “Olugbala” means “love for the people” in Yoruba, and “Shakur” means “the thankful” in Arabic. She joined the Black Liberation Army, a Marxist-Leninist group committed to armed resistance.

Arrest, Conviction, and Escape

Between 1971 and 1973, Shakur faced multiple charges, including robbery and murder. Most were dismissed or acquitted. In 1973, a traffic stop in New Jersey led to a deadly shootout. Trooper Werner Foerster and BLA member Zayd Malik Shakur were killed. Assata Shakur was convicted of Foerster’s murder in 1977 and sentenced to life.

In 1979, BLA members helped her escape from Clinton Correctional Facility. She later surfaced in Cuba, where Fidel Castro’s government granted her asylum.

Life in Exile and Enduring Legacy

Shakur remained in Cuba for over four decades. In 2013, she became the first woman on the FBI’s Most Wanted Terrorists list. Despite controversy, she maintained her innocence and criticized the U.S. justice system.

Her 1987 memoir, Assata: An Autobiography, became a foundational text for activists. It chronicled her experiences with racism, incarceration, and political exile. Her quote, “It is our duty to fight for our freedom,” remains central to modern movements.