The Complex Legacy of Assata Shakur

The U.S. government labeled Assata Shakur as one of the world’s most-wanted terrorists, while she identified as a 20th-century escaped slave. This narrative of fleeing slavery became a powerful and inspiring metaphor for her, aligning her with notable Black freedom fighters like Nat Turner and Harriet Tubman, who fiercely pursued their own liberation.

Shakur’s story gained significant cultural resonance; she was celebrated in rap music and included in academic discussions, with her image prevalent in schools and community centers within Black neighborhoods nationwide. However, the mythology surrounding her often obscured the harsher realities of her life. Like many before her, her quest for freedom came at a profound personal cost: she lost the chance to raise her only child and could never return home to see her family again.

Born JoAnne Deborah Byron in 1947 in Queens, she spent her early years between her mother’s home and her grandparents’ in Wilmington, North Carolina. In 1971, she discarded her birth name, deeming it a slave name. Her upbringing in the segregated South instilled a strong sense of pride in her Black identity, and she was taught to stand tall and demand respect, particularly from white individuals.

Shakur’s activism intensified during the Civil Rights Movement, as she witnessed police brutality and systemic poverty. This experience led her to join the Black Panther Party, which was facing destruction from the FBI’s COINTELPRO program. Constantly monitored and witnessing the violent dismantling of the party, Shakur felt compelled to support an armed revolution.

She later became part of the Black Liberation Army, a decentralized underground group advocating for anti-racist and anti-capitalist ideologies. By the early 1970s, Shakur had faced multiple indictments; she was convicted of killing a New Jersey state trooper during a police shootout, a claim she denied, stating that she had her hands raised and was shot twice.

While waiting for her trial, she faced additional charges related to a Bronx bank robbery. In a courtroom disruption, she fell in love and became pregnant with her daughter, Kakuya. After giving birth in custody, Shakur was sentenced to life plus 33 years, ultimately placing her daughter in her mother’s care. In 1979, after aiding in her own escape from prison, she vanished. Kakuya, initially hoping for her mother’s return, eventually accepted her absence as a tragic reality.

Years later, Shakur, having found asylum in Cuba, sought to reconnect with her daughter. However, Kakuya struggled with feelings of abandonment and distrust. Despite the challenges, the bond between mother and daughter began to heal, as Shakur’s efforts to instill love and commitment to their shared struggle slowly helped Kakuya understand her mother’s choices. Though separated by geography and circumstances, Kakuya’s longing for her mother remains a defining aspect of her life as she reflects on the costs of liberation and the true essence of freedom.