Assata Shakur’s story is one of the most extraordinary of the 20th century, a journey that exposes the contradictions of American justice and the enduring power of resistance. Born JoAnne Deborah Byron in Queens in 1947, she came of age at the height of segregation, joined the Black Panther Party, and became a leading figure in the Black Liberation Army. In 1973, a deadly shootout on the New Jersey Turnpike led to her conviction for murder in a trial widely criticised as unjust. Sentenced to life in prison, she refused to be broken. While pregnant with her daughter, she escaped in 1979 with the help of comrades from the BLA and later resurfaced in Cuba, where she was granted asylum.
Decades later, the United States’ first Black president placed her on the FBI’s Most Wanted Terrorists List and doubled the bounty on her head to $2 million. Still, for those who read her autobiography and followed her story, she was a defender of her community and one of the most important figures in the Black liberation struggle.
On September 25, 2025, her daughter and the Cuban government confirmed her passing in Havana at the age of 78.
Yet Assata’s legacy cannot be buried. She has been immortalised in the words of artists like Common, Public Enemy, Nas, The Roots, Dead Prez, and her godson Tupac Shakur, who carried her spirit onto hip hop’s global stage.
Assata’s life remains a reminder that freedom is never given; it is fought for, and also a reminder that in the cause of Black liberation, Cuba has always been the strongest of allies. Assata Shakur’s story is one of the most remarkable narratives of the 20th century, illuminating the stark contradictions of American justice and the unyielding spirit of resistance. Born JoAnne Deborah Byron in Queens in 1947, she emerged during a time of brutal segregation, aligning herself with the Black Panther Party and rising to prominence within the Black Liberation Army. In 1973, a harrowing shootout on the New Jersey Turnpike led to her wrongful conviction for murder in a trial that drew widespread condemnation for its blatant injustice. Sentenced to life in prison, Assata refused to be broken. While pregnant with her daughter, she bravely escaped in 1979, aided by her comrades in the BLA, and ultimately found sanctuary in Cuba, where she was granted asylum.
Years later, under the administration of the United States’ first Black president, she was placed on the FBI’s Most Wanted Terrorists List, and the bounty on her head was raised to an astonishing $2 million. Yet, for those who have delved into her autobiography and followed her journey, she remains a fierce defender of her community and an iconic figure in the Black liberation struggle.
On September 25, 2025, her daughter and the Cuban government confirmed her passing in Havana at the age of 78.
However, Assata’s legacy will never be extinguished. She has been immortalised in the powerful words of artists like Common, Public Enemy, Nas, The Roots, Dead Prez, and her godson Tupac Shakur, who carried her spirit into the global hip-hop arena.
Assata’s life remains a reminder that freedom is never given, it is fought for. And her story is proof that in the struggle for Black liberation, Cuba has always stood as a steadfast ally.
