While echoes of the Black liberation movements of the 60’s and 70’s are being played out daily, the U.S. has moved to normalized diplomatic relations with Cuba. But many are wondering how that will impact one of Black liberation’s most enduring heroines – Assata Shakur.
Shakur, born Joanne Chesimard, escaped from a New Jersey jail after a conviction in the N.J. Turnpike murder of State Trooper Werner Foerster in 1973. A member of the Black Liberation Army, Shakur was accused and acquitted of various charges in the 70’s.
Her autobiography Assata is a classic of the era. Shakur, now 67, has lived in exile in Cuba since 1975, protected by the Castro family. But in 2013, she surfaced at the top of the FBI’s Most Wanted Terrorist List with a $2 million dollar reward leading to her capture.
After hiding out for years, Chesimard resurfaced in Cuba in the mid-1980s and was granted asylum by the nation’s former leader, Fidel Castro. Since then, she has been living under the protection of the Castro family and going by the name Assata Shakur.
“Joanne Chesimard’s long overdue return to U.S. law enforcement should have been a no-brainer for the president to execute during his negotiations with Cuban leaders,” state Sen. Joe Pennacchio (R-Morris) said in a statement. “She is on the FBI’s Most Wanted Terrorist List and has been shielded from justice by adversaries, so we urge our President to demand this justice for New Jerseyans and America as he works to restore ties with Cuba.”
State and federal authorities in New Jersey said Wednesday they hoped the president’s announcement would aid in Chesimard’s capture. The FBI and the State Police continue to offer $2 million for information leading to her return.
“The only thing clear so far about President Obama’s Cuba deal, is that he has left too many things on the table, and number one, Chesimard needs to be immediately returned to U.S. soil,” state Sen. Anthony Bucco (R-Morris) said. “It is simply unacceptable to take such drastic steps to benefit Cuba, without first taking care of Americans and assuring that this Most Wanted New Jersey cop killer is finally brought to justice.”
A spokeswoman for the National Security Council, Bernadette Meehan, said in response, “We will continue to press for the return of U.S. fugitives in Cuba to pursue justice for the victims of their crimes in our engagement with the Cuban government.”
