From the black liberation struggle to exile: The story of Assata Shakur

By Harsh Thakor* 

Assata Shakur, former member of the Black Liberation Army and a prominent figure in the Black liberation movement, died on September 25 in Havana, Cuba, at the age of 78.

Born JoAnne Deborah Byron on July 16, 1947, in Queens, New York, she was raised in Wilmington, North Carolina, during the era of racial segregation. After leaving high school, she returned to New York and worked in low-wage jobs before attending Borough of Manhattan Community College and City College of New York. During this period, she became active in Black student organizations and began developing her political views.

In 1970, Shakur joined the Black Panther Party, where she worked on community programs such as free breakfast initiatives and health clinics. She later left the organization, citing internal disagreements, and joined the Black Liberation Army (BLA), a group that advocated armed struggle against racial oppression. Between 1971 and 1973, she faced several criminal charges, including bank robbery and murder, but was acquitted or had the charges dismissed in most cases.

In 1977, she was convicted of the murder of a New Jersey state trooper following a shootout on the New Jersey Turnpike, a case that her supporters have long described as politically motivated. After escaping from prison in 1979, she fled to Cuba, where she received political asylum and lived for the rest of her life.

While in exile, Shakur continued to write and speak about issues of racial justice, political repression, and social inequality. Her 1987 autobiography, Assata: An Autobiography, became an influential work among activists and scholars studying the Black liberation struggle. In her writings, she emphasized self-education, solidarity, and the importance of confronting systems of oppression.

Shakur’s political beliefs were rooted in Marxist and socialist thought, emphasizing class struggle, collective ownership, and opposition to capitalist exploitation. She consistently linked the struggles of African Americans with global movements against imperialism and inequality.

Living in Cuba, Shakur continued to engage with students, writers, and social activists, contributing to discussions on justice, race, and international solidarity. Her life and work remained subjects of both admiration and controversy, reflecting the broader conflicts surrounding the Black liberation movements of the 1960s and 1970s.

Assata Shakur’s death closes a long and complex chapter in the history of U.S. radical politics, one marked by deep ideological divisions, social transformation, and ongoing debates over the meaning of liberation and justice.

---

*Freelance journalist