October 1, 2025 — Belly of the Beast
Political activist Assata Shakur passed away in Havana on September 25.
Assata was a member of the Black Panther Party and the Black Liberation Army. In 1977 she was convicted by an all-white jury for the murder of a state trooper in New Jersey.
She consistently maintained her innocence and said she was the target of politically motivated persecution. She escaped prison in 1979 and was eventually granted political asylum in Cuba, where she lived until her death.
Her asylum in Cuba – and that of other U.S. political exiles – has been repeatedly used by the U.S. government as a pretext for keeping Cuba on its “State Sponsors of Terrorism” list. Assata had been labeled a “terrorist” by the F.B.I. though she was never accused of any actual act of terrorism.
Her life and writings inspired generations of anti-racist activists around the world.
“Assata was my guide, my support and my engine,” said Cuban professor Norma Guillard, an LGBTQ+ and anti-racist activist. “She was an example of a fighter who was willing to sacrifice everything – even her family – for an ideal. She was a true defender of human rights worldwide.”
Cuban writer and researcher Zuleica Romay: “Assata, thank you for helping me climb my mountain, proud and unafraid.”
“Assata Shakur was a friend, a critic of my work, and an inspiration,” said Gloria Rolando, a Cuban filmmaker who directed the 1997 documentary film Assata Shakur: Eyes of the Rainbow. “The true film about Assata Shakur still remains to be made. I had the opportunity and the privilege only to approach her, but I think there is much more to be told.”
Check out these clips from the documentary in which Assata talks about her journey, her connection to her ancestors and her vision on liberation.
Also, if you want to know more about Assata’s life and legacy, listen to the podcast Assata’s Chant and Other Histories, by Weyland Mckenzie, on which we collaborated.
