The new york times in 20 assata shakur, founding member of the black liberation army, former black panther and godmother of tupac shakur, became the first ever woman to make the fbis most wanted terrorist list. Though the polemical rhetoric is dated, the book is an otherwise compelling tale of the impact of white racism on a sensitive and powerful young. Revolutionary from a different time, a different struggle. But a few, like assata shakur, have taken the path of the maroon, the runaway slave of old who slipped off the plantation to the free jungle communities known as palenques. Assata shakur, author info, published books, bio, photo. As for the congressional black caucus, there is no chance that the. However, assata shakur, known to her haters by her married name, joanne chesimard, lived a graphic tale that began well before the 1987 classic song by p. This study guide consists of approximately 28 pages of chapter summaries, quotes, character analysis, themes, and more everything you need to sharpen your knowledge of assata. I had never heard of assata shakur until i saw her named mentioned in another book i was reading. The fbi recently made joanne chesimard the first woman on its list of most wanted terrorists. I would like to take an instance of the terror she experienced at the hands of the. On may 2, 1973, black panther assata shakur aka joanne chesimard lay in a hospital, close to death, handcuffed to her bed, while local, state, and federal police attempted to question her about the shootout on the new jersey turnpike that had claimed the life of a white state trooper. Assata olugbala shakur is an black civil rights activist who was a member of the black panther party bpp and black liberation army bla.
July 16, 1947, sometimes referred to by her married surname chesimard is a former member of the black liberation army bla, who was convicted of the firstdegree murder of state trooper werner foerster during a shootout on the new jersey turnpike in 1973. She was a member of the black panther party bpp and black liberation army bla and is a convicted murderer. But to become free, you have to be acutely aware of being a slave. Like many black panthers, she becomes a political prisoner and is subsequently tortured by police and corrections officers. Before the civil war, the northern industrial economy was largely dependent on southern cotton. Shakur was also the target of the fbis cointelpro counterintelligence program. In black communities like brooklyn, posters were plastered with the message. Assata, is an autobiography that travels at a fast pace and its hard to put down because you will truly anticipate the conclusion. Assata shakur forum member apuat wah is a webshite devoted to the black panther activist and wanted murderer 1 assata shakur. Assata shakur is joanne chesimard, the black panther leader who escaped from a new jersey prison in 1979 and within the past month has resurfaced in cuba.
Assata lived a very interesting life, much different than the majority of us, and she told her story in an uncomplicated and intriguing manner. The hospital room becomes a militarized zone, like a prison cell, as shakur. Edgar hoovers campaign to defame, infiltrate, and criminalize black nationalist. An autobiography by assata shakur in the aftermath of events in ferguson, missouri, a newly released edition of a key text of the black liberation canon, assata. On may 2, 1973, black panther assata shakur aka joanne chesimard lay in a hospital, close to death, handcuffed to her bed, while local, state, and federal. Assata olugbala shakur aka joanne chesimard was born on july 16, 1947, in jamaica queens new york city, ny are you the author profiled here. Assata was a black panther then a black liberation army bla leader in the early 70s, so she was a target of the fbis cointelpro. Published november 1st 1999 by lawrence hill books first published 1987. An autobiography follow author assata olugbala shakur is an black civil rights activist who was a member of the black panther party bpp and black liberation army bla.
She escaped from prison in 1979 and has been living in cuba in. Some join the moonies and the republican party, like eldridge cleaver. On may 2, 1973, black panther assata shakur aka joanne chesimard lay in a. But the crimes she was convicted of happened 40 years ago. Assata has just been shot and the police are undecided as to. The criminal history of most wanted terrorist assata. In march 1977 assata shakur was convicted of murdering state trooper werner forrester, although medical experts testified that her injuries would have rendered her incapable of firing. There will be a launch event for the book at the black cultural archives, in. Todays activists should heed the story of assata shakur. As i wrote in my previous discussion of teaching assata, her poems present shakur to us as not only a militant activist, and not only a victim of state violence, but as a writer, and not just as a critic or polemicist, but as a lyricist. Assata was much like innocent people of the panther 21 trial, who were members of the black panther party unfairly arrested and put on.
W hen the fbi announced last year that assata shakur had been placed on the mostwanted terrorist list at the age of 65, it felt like a new generation. Her brief autobiography is propagandistic and notable for its omissions, but there are passages of poignant, effective writing. Ive never forgotten how powerful and transformative a book it is, but picking it up in these movement times has been newly enlightening. Picking up her autobiography, first published in 1988, for the first time in nearly 20 years, i was struck by an odd sense that her brave and powerful account of the black power movement in the 1960s and 1970s feels almost more relevant than when i first read it. The less you think about your oppression, the more your tolerance for it grows. Between 1971 and 1973, shakur was accused of several crimes, none of which had sufficient evidence to back them. It is notable largely for its forum, which is a thriving hotbed of black supremacy, antiwhite racism and open calls for genocide.
Only a fool lets somebody else tell him who his enemy is. This black activists memoir is like a freeze frame of the late 1960s and early 1970s. An autobiography charts the development of the revolutionarys political consciousness and personal ethics. The book assata gives great insight into the role that women played in the black panther party and contrary to popular belief the women did not take the back seat. Shakur recounts what happened after a shooting on the new jersey state turnpike, the shooting left new jersey state trooper, werner foerester, and zayd shakur killed, assata shakur wounded and sundiata acoli on the run.
In 1984, she surfaced in cuba and was granted political asylum by fidel castro. Assata shakur sound ideas university of puget sound. The life story of africanamerican revolutionary shakur, previously known as joanne chesimard. Costan and sundiata acoli born clark squire, were stopped on the new jersey turnpike in east brunswick by state trooper james harper for driving with a broken tail light and, according to col. Assata shakur is a 1 time bestselling author we have a duty to fight for our freedom. Successfully avoiding a national manhunt, shakur ultimately fled to cuba, resurfacing there in 1984. After a while, people just think oppression is the normal state of things. The slave economy of the south was a threat to northern capitalism. Former black panther assata shakur speaks to america from cuba. Exile since 1979 on may 2 1973, black panther activist assata olugbala shakur fsn joanne deborah chesimard, was pulled over by the. Assata shakur books list of books by author assata shakur. Northern capitalists could not possibly compete with slave labor, and their capitalist economy. Assata shakur is by her own definition a 20thcentury escaped slave. Joanne chesimard first woman named to most wanted terrorists list.
Now im quite upset that i didnt know about her sooner or that i hadnt read her story when i was younger. Assata shakur and the black girl experience im currently writing a book word to the wise. Like many others, blands arrest offers an example of the very dangers that traffic stops pose to brown and black people. Inspire a love of reading with prime book box for kids. In the spirit of god in the spirit of the ancestors in the spirit of the black panthers in the spirit of assata shakur we make this movement towards freedom for. Why feminists should care about the fbis hunt for assata. See all books authored by assata shakur, including assata. My name is assata shakur, and i am a 20th century escaped slave. Shakur alternates across chapters between recounting her childhood and adolescence and dramatizing the many court cases she faced as an adult on the basis of flimsy or fabricated evidence. There was a time during the 70s when lawenforcement officials considered shakur the soul of the black.
Assata shakur, an autobiography digitalized by revsocialist for socialiststories. Shakur, the black revolutionary fugitive residing in cuba, was elevated to the fbis most wanted list in 20. Although named after shakur, chesrob like its predecessor, newkill was not limited to shakur. Assata shakur is a member of the black panthers and an activist. American activist, born 16 july 1947 in jamaica, queens, new york city, new york, usa. Oppression is a theme from the moment the story begins. On may 2 1973, black panther activist assata shakur fsn joanne chesimard, was pulled over by the new jersey state police, shot twice and then charged with murder of a police officer.
Email us your official website or let us host your primary web presence. Assata, page 207 thirtyfour years ago this november 2, in 1980, black revolutionary assata shakur escaped from the clinton correctional facility for women in new jersey, with the help of comrades wielding. Assata spent six and a half years in prison under brutal circumstances before escaping out of the maximum security wing of the clinton correctional facility for women in new jersey in. Prison movements, race, and the meaning of justice. She is also an escaped convict and has been linked to the black liberation army bla. This intensely personal and political autobiography belies the fearsome image of joanne chesimard long projected by the media and the state. As they had with other groups like communists, puerto rican nationalists, native american activists and members of the antiwar movement, the fbi. Assata shakur has been living in cuba since 1986, after escaping from prison where she was serving a life sentence imposed in a highly disputed trial. An autobiography, is a necessary reminder of how potently the echoes of the civil rights era remain with us today, argues terence elliottcooper.
Assata shakur was targeted by the cointel program, which attacked political black activists and members of civil rights groups, labeling them as terrorists. A study of the life and times of assata shakur, a political refugee currently living in. Top 30 quotes of assata shakur famous quotes and sayings. On the 40th anniversary of the coldblooded murder of a new jersey state trooper, the fugitive convicted of the killing, joanne.
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