Discussion: Assata: An Autobiography by Assata Shakur

Hey y’all -- To honor the life and legacy of the beloved Black revolutionary Assata Olugbala Shakur, we're rereading her autobiography for our November book club. A former Black Panther and member of the Black Liberation Army, Assata spent her life fighting for Black liberation and the liberation of all oppressed peoples around the world. She escaped the clutches of the US with the help of her comrades and lived and died free in Cuba. There is much to learn from her story and much to remember about love, commitment, and truth-telling as we face a world in desperate need of these virtues. Looking forward to seeing all of your faces!

Book Description:
On May 2, 1973, Black Panther Assata Shakur (aka JoAnne Chesimard) lay in a hospital, close to death, handcuffed to her bed, while local, state, and federal police attempted to question her about the shootout on the New Jersey Turnpike that had claimed the life of a white state trooper. Long a target of J. Edgar Hoover's campaign to defame, infiltrate, and criminalize Black nationalist organizations and their leaders, Shakur was incarcerated for four years prior to her conviction on flimsy evidence in 1977 as an accomplice to murder.

This intensely personal and political autobiography belies the fearsome image of JoAnne Chesimard long projected by the media and the state. With wit and candor, Assata Shakur recounts the experiences that led her to a life of activism and portrays the strengths, weaknesses, and eventual demise of Black and White revolutionary groups at the hand of government officials. The result is a signal contribution to the literature about growing up Black in America that has already taken its place alongside The Autobiography of Malcolm X and the works of Maya Angelou.

Getting the Book:
There is a pdf of the book linked here. If you'd like a physical copy and to shop local and Black-owned there’s the beloved Marcus Books. You can give them a call to reserve a copy and visit them at:
Marcus Books
+1 (510) 652-2344
3900 Martin Luther King Jr Way, Oakland, CA 94609

This book is also available at the Oakland Public Library and the San Francisco Public Library, both in its physical and digital form.

Alternatively you can support Independent Bookstores via [Bookshop.org](https://bookshop.org/p/books/skin-bones-renee-watson/20612443)

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