Assata Shakur, remembered both as a revolutionary figure and as the godmother of Tupac Shakur, has died in Havana at the age of 78. Her daughter revealed the news in a heartfelt Facebook post, writing that Assata “took her last earthly breath” on Thursday afternoon and adding, “words cannot describe the depth of loss that I am feeling at this time.” Cuban officials also confirmed her passing, attributing it to health complications and her advanced years.
Shakur’s name became infamous in the 1970s. In May 1973, a confrontation on the New Jersey Turnpike between state troopers and members of the Black Liberation Army turned violent. Gunfire erupted during the traffic stop, leaving one officer dead and Shakur seriously injured. She survived her wounds and was later taken into custody.
A jury convicted her in 1977 on murder and additional charges related to the shooting. She received a life sentence, but her time behind bars was short. In 1979, with help from allies in the Black Liberation Army, Shakur managed to break out of prison. She eventually made her way to Cuba, where Fidel Castro offered her asylum. She remained there in exile until her death.
Shakur’s escape and decades in Cuba made her both a symbol and a target. In 2013, the FBI placed her on its Most Wanted Terrorists list, the first woman ever added. At the same time, her writings and activism on racism, sexism, and oppression earned her admiration among certain activist circles worldwide.
Her legacy remains sharply divided: to law enforcement she was a convicted murderer who lived as a fugitive, but to many others she stood as a voice of resistance and survival. Assata Shakur’s life story continues to spark debate even as it comes to a close in Havana.
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