The African National Women’s Organization (ANWO) deeply mourns the passing of our revolutionary elder, Assata Shakur, who joined the ancestors on September 25, 2025, in Havana, Cuba, at the age of 78.
Assata’s life was defined by courage. She was not only a symbol of resistance but an uncompromising African woman who dared to live free. Faced with the full force of U.S. state violence — its prisons, police, and propaganda — Assata refused submission. She broke through the chains of colonial captivity and built a new life in Cuba, where she continued her commitment to the struggle for African liberation.
In 1973, Assata was falsely accused and later convicted of killing a New Jersey state trooper, charges she always maintained were lies of the U.S. government. Despite the absence of credible evidence and medical testimony proving she could not have fired a weapon, she was sentenced to life in prison. It was under these conditions of colonial injustice that Assata escaped captivity in 1979 and went into exile in Cuba, where she lived for more than four decades.
For her defiance, the U.S. branded her a “terrorist” and placed her at the top of its most wanted lists. Under Barack Obama’s administration, her bounty was doubled to $2 million in an attempt to capture and silence her. Yet despite decades of pursuit, Assata remained unbroken and untouchable.
Assata Shakur stands as an example for us all, especially for African women. Her clarity, her determination, and her refusal to bow to U.S. imperialism make her worthy of emulation. Her story reminds us that freedom is not granted, it is seized through struggle.
We also extend our gratitude to the Cuban people and their revolutionary government, who defended Assata’s freedom for more than four decades. By providing her refuge, dignity, and solidarity, they showed the world what true internationalism looks like. Their protection ensured that Assata triumphed over the U.S. government’s attempts to silence her. In her victory, we all won.
Assata reminded us: “It is our duty to fight for our freedom. It is our duty to win.” As ANWO, we commit ourselves to this duty, to fight without compromise, to win liberation for African women, and to continue the struggle until African people everywhere are free and united.
May Assata Shakur rest in power.
Long live her legacy. Long live African women’s resistance.
Hands off Cuba!
Leave a Reply