She lived and died free.
Assata Shakur has joined the ancestors at 78.
A revolutionary. A mother. A writer. A symbol of resistance. Born JoAnne Deborah Byron, she dedicated her life to Black liberation. First through the Black Panther Party, then the Black Liberation Army. In 1973, she was involved in a shootout on the New Jersey Turnpike that left a state trooper dead. She was arrested, convicted, and later escaped prison. Assata always maintained her innocence, and many believed her trial was deeply flawed. Shaped by the government’s efforts to silence and criminalize Black activists.
In 1984, she was granted asylum in Cuba, where she lived for over 40 years.
To some, she was a fugitive. To us, she was a freedom fighter.
Her life in exile was quiet but never hidden. Her story became a syllabus. Her words became gospel. Her name became a call to action.
ASSATA.
Check out her autobiography at your local library or bookstore to learn more about her story.
1947 - 2025











