Did you know that the black panther member Assata Shakur was rapper/ poet Tupac Shakur’s godmother? Queens, New Yorker JoAnne Deborah Byron aka Assata Shakur, was an activist and a nationalist. At age 17, Shakur dropped out of high school and attended city college of New York and Manhattan Community College. As a student activist Assata participated in many protests and strikes. It was a little later in life when Assata Shakur changed her name meaning “she who struggles” and “the thankful”. In 1970 Shakur joined the black nationalist and social organization called Black Panther Party. The Black Panther Party focused on anti-racism, revolutionary socialism, maoism, marxism-leninism, anti-fascism, anti-imperialism, and black nationalism. Soon after leaving the Black Panther Party she became leader of the Black Liberation Army. In the beginning of her childhood Shakur lived with her grandparents. They constantly instilled self-worth and respect at a young age. Her grandparents made sure she always responded “yes, grandmother/grandfather” and to treat any adult with the utmost respect no matter their skin …show more content…
Near death and handcuffed Assata was constantly being questioned about the shooting. Officers also wanted information on the Black Panther Party along with the Black Liberation Army. She was treated terribly in the hospital by getting beat, tortured, and under police surveillance. On October 9, 1973 Assata was first on trial for the murder of the state trooper in Turnpike. She was charged on 9 different accounts including assault and battery against trooper Harper, discharging a dangerous pistol and wounding Harper and fleeing the scene, unlawfully and illegally resisting a lawful arrest by Harper, unlawfully, illegally and with malice aforethought cause or affect the murder of James Coston aka Zayd Shakur, the killing and slaying NJ state trooper Werner Foerster, etc (Assata,