Assata Shakur, a Fugitive Black Militant Sought by the US Since 1979, Dies in Cuba

September 29, 2025

Assata Shakur, a former Black Panther and Black Liberation Army member who escaped from a U.S. prison in 1979 while serving a life sentence for killing a police officer, has died in Havana at age 78 due to health issues and advanced age. Shakur had been living in Cuba since 1984 after being granted political asylum by Fidel Castro, with her case becoming a symbol of the strained U.S.-Cuba relations as American authorities repeatedly demanded her return. Though the FBI listed her as a "most wanted terrorist" and New Jersey officials maintained she killed State Trooper Werner Foerster in a 1973 gunfight, Shakur consistently claimed her innocence and became an influential figure for the Black Lives Matter movement.

Who is affected

New Jersey State Trooper Werner Foerster (killed in the 1973 incident)
Shakur's daughter, Kakuya Shakur
New Jersey officials, including Governor Phil Murphy and State Police Superintendent Patrick Callahan
Black Lives Matter Grassroots Inc. and supporters
Malkia Amala Cyril and early organizers of the BLM movement
The family of late rapper Tupac Shakur
Law enforcement groups who opposed her

What action is being taken

Cuba's Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced Shakur's death in an official statement
Black Lives Matter Grassroots Inc. is vowing to "fight in her honor and memory"
New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy and State Police Superintendent Patrick Callahan are "vigorously opposing" any attempt to repatriate Shakur's remains to the U.S.

Why it matters

Shakur's case has long symbolized the fraught relations between the U.S. and Cuba
She represents different things to different groups: a terrorist to U.S. authorities, a political refugee to Cuba, and an inspirational figure to Black liberation movements
Her writings became influential during the Black Lives Matter movement
Her story highlights Cuba's historical support for what it viewed as revolutionary forces struggling against the U.S.
The case remains unresolved from the perspective of New Jersey officials who believed "justice was never served"

What's next

No explicit next steps stated in the article

Read full article from source: The San Diego Voice & Viewpoint