Assata: An Autobiography

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Assata: An Autobiography was published on November 1st, 1999 by Lawrence Hill Books. The book was written by Assata Shaku with a foreword given by Angela Davis and Lennox S. Hinds. The book explains the experience of Assata Shakur in contributing to the Bland Power movement and how the FBI weakened and infiltrated the Black nationalist organizations[1].

Summary

Assata: An Autobiography[2]

Assata Shakur, an African American woman activist, was arrested for a murder case by law enforcement. She explains how the FBI and police operate to bring down the Black Power organizations and their revolutionaries including her. As her background relates to the civil rights movement since her childhood, she could not stand aside racism and oppression of African Americans. For that reason, she involves in many Black Power movements but her method is always to be respectful and polite. Despite that, she is arrested and imprisoned for several years. After a few years, she escaped prison and got political asylum in Cuba, and lived quietly for more than three decades[3].

Black Empowerment

Assata collaborated with several civil rights organizations such as Brown Berets, the Black Panther Party, and the Nation of Islam. She even handed out fliers regarding the African Americans' civil rights at a park. She says each organization has its own characteristics such as the Black Panther in New York used rude words when they spoke, while the Black Muslims express the civil rights workers in a polite and respectful manner[4]. While in prison, Assata also met several activists who have the point of view regarding the equal for every race and religion, and she learned many things from them. For example, Assata admires Lolita Lebrón, a political prisoner, who refused her parole unless her comrades were also released. She also admires Rita Brown, a lesbian feminist activist, where she learned the practical sisterhood from her no matter what race, class, and gender of every person[5]. Although she is targeted by the FBI at the age of 70s, she does not want to give up civil rights as she writes in the book "I am about life. I’m gonna live as hard as i can and as full as i can until i die. And i’m not letting these parasites, these oppressors, these greedy racist swine make me kill my children in my mind, before they are even born"[6].

Controversy

Assata was falsely convicted of murder, robbery, and kidnapping by the FBI to halt the Black power movement and its leaders. The evidence was clear the Assata had no traces of gun residue, fingerprints, and the impossibility to shoot the police officers as she was severely injured. However, the FBI insisted on catching her to destabilize the black power movement. Assata also explains how the FBI and police operated by employing many informants to the black organizations and labeled the organizations as a black nationalist hate group, claimed that these organizations as threats and enemies of the state. For that reason, Assata remains the top FBI Most Wanted woman with a 2 Million USD bounty on her head[7].

References

  1. Assata: An Autobiography. Goodreads. Retrieved January 24 2021
  2. Assata: An Autobiography Cover. Goodreads. Retrieved January 24 2021
  3. Bernadine Evaristo. Assata: An Autobiography, by Assata Shakur, book review: Revolutionary from a different time, a different struggle Independent. Retrieved January 24 2021]
  4. Assata: An Autobiography Chapters 13-15 Summary & Analysis SuperSummary. Retrieved January 24 2021]
  5. Assata: An Autobiography Chapters 19-21 Summary & Analysis SuperSummary. Retrieved January 24 2021]
  6. Assata Quotes Goodreads. Retrieved January 24 2021]
  7. Terence Elliott-Cooper. Review | ‘Assata: An Autobiography’ by Assata Shakur Ceasefire Magazine. Retrieved January 24 2021]