Assata Shakur, the Black liberation activist, author, and fugitive long considered one of America’s most wanted women, has died in Havana, Cuba, at the age of 78. Her passing was confirmed on September 25, 2025, by her daughter, Kakuya Shakur, and Cuba’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, who cited health complications and advanced age as the cause.
Who was Assata Shakur?
Born JoAnne Deborah Byron (later Chesimard) in 1947 in New York City, Shakur rose to prominence during the late 1960s and 1970s as a member of the Black Panther Party and later the Black Liberation Army. She became one of the most prominent voices in the struggle against racial oppression and state violence, but her activism soon brought her into direct confrontation with U.S. authorities.
In 1973, Shakur was involved in a violent incident on the New Jersey Turnpike that left State Trooper Werner Foerster and her ally Zayd Shakur dead. Though Shakur maintained her innocence, she was convicted in 1977 of Foerster’s murder and sentenced to life in prison. In 1979, she escaped custody and eventually fled to Cuba, where she was granted political asylum in 1984.
For decades, Shakur remained a polarizing figure. The FBI placed her on its Most Wanted Terrorists list, offering a $2 million reward for her capture, while activists worldwide regarded her as a symbol of resistance against systemic racism and injustice. Her 1988 autobiography, Assata: An Autobiography, became an influential text in radical and academic circles alike.
Shakur was also widely known as the godmother of the late rapper Tupac Shakur, a connection that further amplified her cultural legacy. Despite persistent U.S. efforts to seek her extradition, Cuba consistently refused, framing her as a political refugee.
