Assata: An Autobiography
Back of the Book
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. Long a target of J. Edgar Hoover's campaign to defame, infiltrate, and criminalize Black nationalist organizations and their leaders, Shakur was incarcerated for four years prior to her conviction on flimsy evidence in 1977 as an accomplice to murder. This intensely personal and political autobiography belies the fearsome image of JoAnne Chesimard long projected by the media and the state. With wit and candor, Assata Shakur recounts the experiences that led her to a life of activism and portrays the strengths, weaknesses, and eventual demise of Black and White revolutionary groups at the hand of government officials. The result is a signal contribution to the literature about growing up Black in America that has already taken its place alongside The Autobiography of Malcolm X and the works of Maya Angelou. Two years after her conviction, Assata Shakur escaped from prison. She was given political asylum by Cuba, where she now resides.
We Love It Because
Reading Assata Shakur’s memoir is an experience in disenchantment with the political propaganda machine and its representations of what counts as threats to a system failing its people. Shakur’s tenderness, innate to her very being, echoes through this remarkable narrative charting her involvement with the Black Panthers and her harrowing brush with death and danger—a microcosm of what it was like to grow up black in America.
Memorable Passage
My daughter goes over to the barred door that leads to the visiting room. She pulls and she pushes. She yanks and she hits and she kicks the bars until she falls on the floor, a heap of exhaustion. I go over and pick her up. I hold and rock and kiss her. There is a look of resignation on her face that i can’t stand. We spend the rest of the visit talking and playing quietly on the floor. When the guard says the visit is over, i cling to her for dear life. She holds her head high, and her back straight as she walks out of the prison. She waves good-bye to me, her face clouded and worried, looking like a little adult. I go back to my cage and cry until i vomit. I decide that it is time to leave.
About the Author
Assata Shakur, born Joanne Chesimard in 1947, is a renowned African American activist, educator, and author whose life story epitomizes resilience and resistance against racial injustice. A prominent member of the Black Panther Party, Shakur later joined the Black Liberation Army. In 1973, she was falsely accused of killing a New Jersey State Trooper, a charge she vehemently denies. After her controversial trial, Shakur escaped from prison and sought asylum in Cuba, where she resides to this day. Her memoir, Assata: An Autobiography, narrates her experiences and serves as a powerful testament to her unwavering commitment to the struggle for Black liberation. Assata Shakur is worth knowing for her unyielding dedication to social justice, her role in the Black liberation movement, and her enduring impact as an inspiration to those fighting against systemic oppression. Despite being a fugitive, she remains a symbol of resistance and an influential figure in the ongoing fight for racial equality.
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