Assata Shakur, black liberation activist exiled in Cuba, dies at 78

September 26, 2025

Assata Shakur, a 78-year-old Black Liberation Army activist who had been living in exile in Cuba for four decades, died Thursday in Havana due to health conditions and "advanced age. " Shakur, born JoAnne Deborah Byron and also known as Joanne Chesimard, had escaped from a New Jersey prison in 1979 while serving a life sentence for a state trooper's murder during a 1973 shootout, though she maintained her innocence and claimed her trial was unfair. After fleeing to Cuba in 1984, she was granted asylum by Fidel Castro, became the first woman added to the FBI's Most Wanted Terrorists list, and remained a point of contention between the U.S. and Cuba with a $2 million combined reward offered for information leading to her arrest.

Who is affected

Assata Shakur's family, particularly her daughter Kakuya Shakur
The Black liberation movement community and supporters
The family of Werner Foerster (the state trooper killed in the 1973 shootout)
U.S. law enforcement agencies, including the FBI
Cuban-American diplomatic relations

What action is being taken

Cuba's foreign affairs ministry is officially announcing Shakur's death
The FBI and New Jersey are continuing to offer rewards totaling $2 million for information leading to her arrest (as this was still active at the time of her death)

Why it matters

Shakur was a significant and controversial figure in the Black liberation movement
Her case represented ongoing tensions between Cuba and the United States
As the first woman on the FBI's Most Wanted Terrorists list, her death marks the end of a four-decade manhunt
Her story highlights historical racial tensions and perspectives on justice in the American legal system
She maintained cultural relevance through references in hip-hop music by artists including Public Enemy and Common

What's next

No explicit next steps stated in the article

Read full article from source: BBC