‘Assata: An Autobiography’ sees resurgence in wake of revolutionary’s passing

Sign up for our FREE acclaimed newsletters!

The news mainstream media just doesn’t cover. Racial justice journalism since 1909.

Sign up

On September 25, 2025, Assata Shakur passed away free in Cuba at the age of 78. Her life, teachings, and her book remain profoundly relevant today. Her passing has renewed interest in her legacy and the struggles she fought for.

Shakur’s powerful 1988 autobiography, Assata: An Autobiography, is a moving and deeply personal account of her life and struggle as a Black revolutionary. In the weeks since the world learned of Shakur’s passing, her book saw a surge in ranking on Amazon being one of the top Black autobiographies and political leader autobiographies. 

Born Joanne Byron in Queens, New York, on July 16, 1947, Shakur spent her early years with her grandparents in Wilmington, North Carolina, where she experienced the harsh realities of racism and Jim Crow segregation. By middle school, she had returned to New York and became a frequent runaway. Eventually, she went to live with her aunt, Evelyn Williams, who would later serve as her lawyer and a key figure in her life.

Assata’s activism began during her college years at City College of New York, where she was exposed to new political ideas that challenged her traditional beliefs. Through protests, rallies, and organizing, she began questioning what it truly meant to be a revolutionary. Her growing awareness led her to join the Black Panther Party and later become a founding member of the Black Liberation Army.

Much of the book chronicles Shakur’s time in jail and in court. She was held in solitary confinement for two years, during which she endured severe mistreatment and beatings by prison guards. Despite the brutality, Shakur refused to let her spirit be broken. She insisted on being represented by a Black attorney—her aunt, Evelyn Williams—who successfully defended her in seven separate cases involving bank robbery and kidnapping charges.

However, in 1977, Shakur was convicted by an all-white jury of murdering a New Jersey state trooper and sentenced to life in prison. After being transferred between several facilities, she was eventually returned to New Jersey, where, with the help of the Black Liberation Army, she escaped from prison in 1979. In 1984, she was granted political asylum in Cuba, where she lived in exile for the rest of her life.

Assata’s story is both tragic and triumphant. She dedicated her life to the liberation and empowerment of Black people in America. Her autobiography is at once personal and political—filled with moments of tenderness and reflection, alongside sharp, unflinching critiques of white supremacy and systemic injustice.