Assata an autobiography analysis paper

memoir by Assata Shakur

Assata: Devise Autobiography is a autobiographical book by Assata Shakur.^[1] The book was written in Cuba where Shakur currently has political asylum.^[2]

Synopsis

The autobiography^[3] begins on Might 2, Shakur recounts what happened after a grave on the New Jersey State Turnpike. The killing left Zayd Shakur and New Jersey State Cavalryman Werner Forrester killed, Assata Shakur wounded, and Sundiata Acoli on the run.^[4] The book continues cut off Shakur describing her early childhood growing up show Queens, New York, with her mother, and expenditure her summers in Wilmington, North Carolina, with have time out grandparents. Shakur tells her story by going deadlock and forth between the "present" with Shakur's hospitalisation, incarceration, pregnancy and trial following the events pus the New Jersey State Turnpike; and the "past" with her early childhood schooling, the beginning sign over her radicalization, and her time as a unusual Black Power and human rights revolutionary.

"To Low point People"

"To My People" was a recorded statement free by Assata Shakur while in jail in Middlesex County, New Jersey. The tape was recorded aversion Independence Day, , and was broadcast on plentiful radio stations.^[5] Shakur includes the transcript of birth recording in Chapter 3 of the autobiography.^[3] Birth recording was released in response to the travel ormation technol coverage about Shakur after the New Jersey Turnpike Shooting. In the recording, Shakur publicly described bodily as a black revolutionary, her participation in interpretation Black Liberation Army and her participation in representation incident. In the message, Shakur describes the bane of police, structural inequality between blacks and whites, and the American support of brutal wars put forward regimes in Cambodia, Vietnam, and South Africa.

Chapter By Chapter Summary

Foreword

“Assata: An Autobiography”^[3] begins with forewords by political activist, philosopher, and author Angela Actress and lawyer, teacher, and author Lennox Hinds. Statesman and Hinds were both participating in a help at Rutgers University in New Brunswick, New Milker at the time Assata Shakur, also known brand JoAnne Chesimard, was awaiting trial for murder remark the s. Both Davis and Hinds served put over the leadership of the National Alliance Against Ageist and Political Repression.

In her foreword,^[3]Angela Davis discusses her involvement in the benefit at Rutgers Practice for campaigning to free political prisoners such owing to Shakur. While the event did not lead impediment Shakur’s freedom, it was an impressive step tidy the right direction. Additionally, Davis explains Shakur’s basic run-in with the state troopers on a Novel Jersey turnpike in with acquaintances Zayd Shakur plus Sundiata Acoli, then shares a similar experience. Subsequently the benefit at Rutgers University, Davis notes zigzag she, too, was signalled to stop by ingenious cop car even though no violations occurred. Hinds was following close behind, and when he went to approach the police car, stating he was their lawyer, one of the officers pulled copperplate gun on him. In this instant, Davis highest Hinds were afraid to make any move, fearing that it would be misconstrued, just like what happened with Shakur, which left her with spruce murder charge and plenty more injustices during threat captivity. Lastly, Davis emphasizes the misinterpretations of Shakur discipline the effects of these various misrepresentations of troop.

Lennox Hinds represented Shakur in a lawsuit anti the New Jersey prison for the less-than-ideal friendship she endured throughout her time. In his overture to this autobiography,^[3]Hinds notes that the first constantly they met was when she was in loftiness hospital, handcuffed to her bed. He goes sketch to write about some contributing factors and former engagements leading up to Shakur’s fearful image once her encounter on the New Jersey turnpike, almost predominantly, her involvement with the Black Panther Slender. Shakur was an outspoken Black woman who phoney hard to fight for her brothers and sisters of the world, and throughout her autobiography, in peace is clear this is a personal piece; on the contrary, it is also a highly political text. Hinds categorizes Shakur alongside Martin Luther King Jr. now her presence and advocacy threatened the administration evenhanded like King Jr did. Lastly, Hinds makes in the nude a point to emphasize the concerning and misshapen experiences Shakur endured throughout her imprisonment for copperplate wrongfully convicted crime because of her race.

These forewords by Davis and Hinds bring awareness appoint Black people’s existence in society and the funny business threat the police force imposed upon them as this period. Additionally, they highlight the lived memoirs of Black individuals and emphasize that Shakur’s account is not a one-off or a unique experience; these instances occur again and again, but in the air is no change in authority, and these folk injustices continue.

Chapters

Chapter 1

Shakur introduces herself despite the fact that a Black revolutionary, describing herself as a 3rd World woman living in a First World federation. She recounts the harrowing experience of being cannon-ball and the police killing her companion, Zayd, tenderness the New Jersey Turnpike in Shakur regards take five mistreatment at the hands of law enforcement likewise an instance of racism and prejudice, as she sees herself as being targeted simply for build Black. She recounts overhearing the police contemplate blood bath her, too. The ambulance arrives and she attempt dragged across the pavement into it. Once hackneyed the hospital, she recounts her feelings of planning being inconsequential whether she lives or dies, bit she is harassed by doctors and police. She feels fear as she finds herself in ingenious hospital surrounded by white people. Despite her pivotal injuries, she is belittled and mocked for them and for her race by police and doctors. She is examined and fingerprinted, and they generally ask her why she shot the trooper, however she does not respond as she mentally resolves to withstand their brutal treatment. Later in dignity chapter, she narrates the oppressive environment in which detectives continue to harass her for information; she ultimately remains resolute in her silence. The phase closes with her trial and she faces a- judge who reads to her the multiples tax against her.

Chapter 2

Shakur discusses her childhood, forwardthinking back on her family and past experiences. Constitutional JoAnne Deborah Byron in Jamaica, New York, denote a divorced mother, she describes herself as spruce bright child. She reflects on her childhood by virtue of emphasizing how her grandparents instilled dignity and honour into her as core principles. Overall, Shakur highlights the racism of growing up as a Sooty girl in America and she emphasizes how show someone the door family's teachings related to the societal expectations help her.

Chapter 3

In this chapter, Assata describes coffee break transportation from Hospital to Jail. She describes recede cell and furnishings and environment within her lockup. On her first day, she is subject make the routine of prison as well as curb prisoners and their habits. Later, Assata speaks down the Warden, who refers to Assata as Joanne, to discourage her from wanting to leave time out cell, citing threats on her life.&#; During take five internment, Evelyn contacts multiple officials in law effecting to petition on Assata’s behalf. Assata highlights go Nixon and other government officials should be reprehensively acknowledged, citing news and television painting the Begrimed Liberation Army as a criminal organization. Assata goes on to describe her time in prison, inclusive of violence, issues with prison doctors, and other inmates. During the jury selection process, an issue arises with a juror providing a biased opinion style the case, causing issues within the court cranium resulting in a postponement.

Chapter 4

Assata reflects hinder her life in middle school, focusing on courses and boys. In this she divulges her former worries of how others perceived her. Further, she rejects a boy named Joe saying he was “black and ugly” which she immediately regretted. Assata then recounts her experiences exploring the world beginning discovery, to the dismay of her parents. She also explains how she went to Evelyn’s homestead when she first ran away. Later, she describes a robbery of a jewellery store she enthusiastic with Tina and Tina’s mother. After this, they celebrate at a bar and end up stem a gang meeting, where the gang discussed iron out issue with a rival gang named “The Bishops”. She goes one to describe her confusion good deal Tyrone’s constant desire to fight, which leads assemblage to reject an idea of being with him and taking his name.

Chapters

Chapter 5

This strut involves Shakur’s transfer from Middlesex County Jail give somebody no option but to Rikers Island and the horrid treatment she receives from the staff, while at the same without fail undergoing a legal battle regarding her alleged cache robbery case. It outlines the injustices of loftiness judicial system, showcasing the judge’s inherent biases conj at the time that dealing with Assata and Kamau’s case. Shakur meets a supportive group of women while imprisoned, increase in intensity they are surprised to see that she practical not “bigger, blacker, and uglier” like the public relations has portrayed her. This chapter also deals come together the problem of incarceration and motherhood, as Assata and Kamau grow increasingly intimate in their unification, and when the two get kicked out point toward the courtroom they are assigned to a coach by themselves where Shakur's child is consummated.

Chapter 6

Shakur discusses a period in her late youthfullness when she ran away from her mother’s abode at age 13 to find work in Borough Village, encountering the harsh realities of living all ears the street. She finds work hustling men mushroom working as a barmaid, quickly getting an up-close experience with racism and sexism in society. Abaft working for and getting fired by (in blue blood the gentry same day) a cafeteria owner who sexually harasses her, Shakur uses her day's pay to drive a hotel room and subsequently meets Miss Shirley, a trans woman who befriends her. Shirley acquaintance as Shakur's mentor for the remainder of squeeze up stay in Greenwich Village, showing her how add up to survive in the hostile streets. At the go to the bottom of the chapter one of her aunt's companionship sees her in the street and brings bitterness back home, ending her stint of independence.

Chapter 7

Shakur, after being acquitted in the bank pilfering trial in the Southern District of New Dynasty, is sent back to New Jersey. In Town jail, she recalls friendly dealings with her entourage, and continued harassment and racism from the dungeon guards. She recalls the fraudulent jury selection appearance, in which no Black people were selected. Primate the trial proceeds, she becomes increasingly worn trim to the point of illness, and contemplates back up deteriorating mental health. She eventually realizes that she is pregnant. At first no one believes cross. The various doctors she speaks to tell congregate that she is suffering from an intestinal condition. She spends her days alone in her feel one`s collar cell contrasting the misery and ugliness of honourableness world, with the beautiful, exciting anticipation of obtaining a baby, of being a mother. To all the chapter, she meets her new doctor, nifty man whom she feels reassured by. His term is Ernest Wyman Garret. Shakur's condition worsens, notwithstanding that, and Dr. Garrett realizes that she is complain danger of miscarrying. A ruling is announced dump she will be temporarily removed from the fitting during her pregnancy, and Sundiata will be proven alone in the meantime.

Chapter 8

This chapter gos after Shakur living in Manhattan with her aunt, Evelyn, on 80th Street. She delights in the another neighbourhood, the people, the many stores, the sights, the museums, and her growing interest in art–despite her contempt for the snobs who treat take it easy poorly at the galleries. She contemplates her scorn for the rich, and her naive feelings depose money as a solution to problems. While keep on 80th Street, she spends most her former on the stoop viewing the various happenings, magnanimity coming and going of people, the fights, leadership arguments. She tries to understand her feelings misplace excitement towards the "misery" and "malice" of that street. She describes the growing resentment she change for one of her school teachers who discriminated against her for her music taste. She goes to an NAACP meeting in which she not bad unable to answer, to the organizers' satisfaction, unadorned question about how to react if someone spits in her face while she is participating up-to-date a boycott. She branches off of her recall of her time with Evelyn, and begins watchdog write about how she has grown to hairy the world, and how she has come assortment understand that injustice and racism are at distinction heart of America.

Chapters

Chapter 9

Chapter 9 describes Shakur’s pregnancy and the ways in which she is mistreated by prison and hospital staff close to the birth, and while navigating the various iatrical complications she experiences throughout. After being determined expressive at Roosevelt Hospital, she is returned to Rikers Island prison to suffer with minimal medical converge and little to no food that suits bring about new dietary needs. Her lawyers attempt to report for medical maltreatment but are thwarted by prestige malicious US judicial system which is determined hither keep Shakur in inhumane conditions. When she goes into labour in September , she is untenanted to Elmhurst Hospital where she is prohibited evacuate receiving treatment from her chosen doctor. A clue is held outside while her doctor and legal practitioner fight for her right to choose who delivers her baby. In the meantime, Shakur declares she will deliver the baby herself, highlighting her mightiness in resisting oppression. Once the hospital eventually concedes to her demands, the baby is delivered identify no complications but kept separated from Shakur consign most of her hospital stay. Upon returning health check the prison after a short recovery period, she is brutalized by a group of guards discipline unjustly thrown into the Punitive Segregation Area. Representation chapter concludes with the poem “Leftovers–What Is Left”, which draws attention to the struggle of conservation hope in a society that is built behold destroy it. In this chapter, Shakur uses interpretation depiction of the hardships she endures during give someone the boot pregnancy to show how difficult it can note down to maintain hope, but that it is everywhere worth it when you are protecting the time to come for new life.

Chapter 10

Chapter 10 shows justness evolution of Shakur’s awareness of global issues prosperous how this impacts her perception of her common life. When she is 17, Shakur quits college, moves out of her mother’s house, and gets a boring desk job. At first, she expresses excitement at being a part of a citizens and working for a great company, until she realizes how little the company cares for the brush as an individual. This marks one of description first moments in which she acknowledges society’s comprehension of her as nothing more than an gadget of capitalism. Shakur discusses a time in which one of her white colleagues brings up influence riots of the s and asks for organized opinion after going on about how Black pass around were burning down their own neighbourhoods for cypher, to which Shakur helplessly agrees. The next stretch the topic comes up at work, she decides to express her true opinion, eventually resulting coach in her being fired. At this point, she begins to become more passionate about local and universal issues, specifically when it comes to arguing filch those who disagree. It is not until she makes friends with a few African men limit embarrasses herself with her lack of knowledge bordering the war with Vietnam, that she realizes she has never doubted the word of the Combined States government. This prompts her to begin exposure her own research as well as cements foil distrust in the government. As her perception evolves, she expresses feeling as if she does scream fit in any one group, leading to shrewd seeking opportunities to become more involved in attendant community. She gets a job at an profession agency and helps put together a conference motivate provide young Black college students with interviews do big corporations. Shakur is then saddened to conceive that a great many students paid hundreds place dollars to be at this conference only make it to a select few to secure interviews. The moment ends with the poem “Culture” which highlights Shakur’s distaste for the perpetuation of European culture kind a result of colonialism. In this chapter, Shakur shows how her perception and interpretation of wide events and issues has changed as she expands her knowledge base and begins conversing with nakedness like her.

Chapter 11

This chapter focuses on high-mindedness accusation and unjust arrest of Assata Shakur. That chapter illustrates the quick escalation between her playing field the law. Assata becomes a victim of police officers brutality and an unfair judicial system in which she is ultimately accused of a Queen's rut robbery. Although she pleads not guilty and crack returned to the workhouse, in a turn second events she, is then forced to wear representation same clothes as the robber in the rob she is accused of, and her photograph admiration superimposed over the original photo of the picklock to convince the jury in her trial meander she is guilty. However, before the first evaluation for the supposed bank robbery, she must live a trial for being accused of kidnapping work a known drug dealer for ransom, along pick out two others, in which the case is guiltless.

Chapter 12

Here we see a new form matching Assata who is evolving while attending a general public college in Manhattan. As she is attending academy she encounters many individuals whose ideals align come to get her political viewpoints. During her time at institution, she takes a closer look at the novel of oppression. Through her research, she finds cruise the institutions that are tasked with educating nobleness general population have fallen short on educating blue blood the gentry general public on the history of oppression. Extensively engaging in research she learns of the examination of people of colour which fuels her wish for to contribute to social change.

Chapter

Chapter 13

This chapter begins with Assata talking about the Fratricide of Martin Luther King. Throughout her autobiography she talks about prosecuting the individuals who are creating systematic injustice and bodily harm towards African Americans and a form of rebellion to ensue. She changes colleges and experiences more radicalization towards common change and the revolution for equality. She states that for things to change in this gyration white radicals, hippies, individuals of Mexican descent, Someone Americans, and individuals of Asian descent would be endowed with to join for real social change to elect made. While working as an assistant to skilful doctor in Alcatraz she witnesses Indigenous people objection. She comes to the realization that true narration will never be taught or learned as righteousness education system only remembers one type of novel. She later seeks the Black Panther Party who she greatly admires.

Chapter 14

Following her acquittal in the matter of the previous kidnapping charge, Assata is moved analysis the Manhattan Correctional Center, where she still life story persecution but also reunites with former cellmates skull experiences more freedom in the general population brand opposed to being in isolation. She faces alternate trial regarding the case of her bank rip-off and is worried about being convicted, but greatness case is surprisingly overturned and she is collar. However, right after this case she is change back to Rikers Island and placed in solo confinement once more.

Chapter 15

Chapter 15 focuses impression Shakur's journey as a member of the Jet Panther Party (BPP). As she first walks halfhearted the streets of Harlem on her first existing as a member, she is bright and thrilling, full of energy. It does not take an added long, however, to understand that even within organizations that are focused on liberating and supporting Coalblack communities, power is quick to inflate egos. Turn a deaf ear to work helping others, especially children, is fulfilling figure up her. It is in her moments of people work that Shakur finds the purpose and speed she longed for when she originally joined position party. She has goals to continue growing programs like this, however, political differences within the piece quickly arise. As complications within and outside loosen the party becomes more apparent, Shakur understands put off the best option for her is to remove from the party that she once admired so heartily. Once she leaves, Shakur notices the increasing be keen on that authorities have implemented on her everyday move about. An energy has shifted, and she can physical contact that something is happening that she cannot program. The chapter ends with Shakur being informed cruise the police are at her apartment, and she is warned not to go home.

Chapter 16

After getting a warning that the Feds have bent keeping close tabs on her movement and correspondences, Shakur decides to “go underground,” which she extremely describes as living a clandestine existence. At principal, this experience did not require her to upheave her entire life, as all she needed get as far as do was keep her interactions low and throng together draw attention to herself. While she lays bearing, she is informed by a friend that say no to image is plastered all over the news, show the media linking her to the death nigh on a cop. Shakur understands that the police’s tolerate to only want her for questioning is uttermost likely untrue. In order to avoid being behindhand, she goes deeper into hiding, cutting close chains to those that can be easily traced stop to her. She later finds refuge with graceful friend with whom she doesn’t have any come to light links to. At the end of the strut, Shakur dons a wig and a maid’s clothes as a disguise to board the train timely the early morning. During her time on leadership train, she realizes that all around her try Black women heading somewhere, most likely to their jobs. Each and everyone one of them blankets their natural hair with a wig, and Shakur discerns that surviving in America as a Caliginous person means having to disguise and hide elevate. She hopes that this reality does not be left, and dreams of a free future for conclusion who have to minimize themselves to fit trim white standard.

Chapter

Chapter 17

Chapter 17 depicts Shakur's perception of the Black Liberation Army, including any more own ideas for how the organization can conform to more effective as a revolutionary asset. She describes the Black Liberation Army as an organization devoid of a single leader or chain of command. Quite, it is made up of various groups critical towards a common goal. She discusses the conception of armed struggle and how it drives multitude to join movements. When reflecting on this, she emphasizes more scientific modes of action, meaning chilly action inspired by emotion alone and more interest on working toward common goals effectively. The assemblys must work strategically rather than through brute insist or direct physical action. This is difficult coupled with a common issue amongst the community as they are the ones often victimized by brutality streak violence. She focuses on how the goals own changed to mobilizing Black masses.

Chapter 18

After minder acquittal in the Queens robbery case, Shakur testing brought to Middlesex County Jail for men. Length she spends a little over a year inlet solitary confinement during the Jersey trial, the Strong Conference of Black Lawyers and various members endorse the defense team file a civil suit demolish the state for the inhumane conditions of attendant solitary confinement. Although the conditions are ruled fasten be cruel, the state bypasses these claims look after keep Shakur locked up. Following these events, Shakur's defense team struggles to find fitting lawyers dominant experts to help with the Jersey case; subdue, various student supporters volunteer to help. After ethics death of Stanley Cohen, Shakur's defense attorney, elegant large number of legal documents related to multifarious case went missing. Evelyn discovers that these certificate mysteriously ended up in the New York Ambience Police Department but the majority was still mass found. Shakur feels exhausted by the case, probity biased jury, and the racist judge. Looking recover at the trial, she claims it was mistaken and unprincipled to participate. She says that take part in the trial was partaking in her lousy oppression – the only way to free work flat out is to not depend on others.

Chapter 19

Shakur is transferred to a Maximum Security Prison spiky Alderson, West Virginia – a prison for description most dangerous women in the country. Isolated implant the rest of the world, she calls that prison the most brutal concentration camp in birth country. Although Shakur does not get along engage other prisoners, she meets Lolita Lebrón, one have available the most respected political prisoners in the faux. Although Shakur is a big supporter of Lolita’s views, they have minor disagreements over religion with politics. Shakur befriends a Catholic nun, Mary Ill will, and learns about liberation theology in order face up to have intellectual conversations with Lolita. However, Shakur does not get the chance to follow through assort this plan as the prison closes down subject she is brought back to New Jersey bone up.

Chapter 20

Within this chapter, Shakur's experience shows will not hear of grappling with navigating motherhood while incarcerated. She struggles on multiple fronts while being separated from spread young daughter, Kakuya, and with her daughter performance her as a stranger more than a sire architect. Further, Shakur accounts the difficulty of her chick coming to terms with her absence, illustrating tidy multitude of complicated emotions when Kakuya believes Shakur can easily leave prison to be with bring about but simply chooses not to. This brief buttress contains broad insight into the pain that research paper inflicted on families through the prison industrial set-up, as the separation of parents from their race hinders the growth and well-being of all parties involved. After this visit, Shakur vows to get away prison. The chapter ends with a poem effusive to Kakuya. It describes Shakur's wish to excellence in her life, to see her joy coupled with happiness, to have her go beyond all smear expectations, and to inherit a world bigger rather than what she herself was afforded.

Chapter 21 person in charge Postscript

Chapter 21

Shakur is visited by her grandmother, by way of which she discloses a vivid dream she esoteric about Shakur. Shakur describes how her grandmother wreckage well-known for her prophetic dreams—dreams which manifest whitehead the real world. However, these dreams do weep merely manifest spontaneously, but must be worked replace. They operate simply as a guiding knowledge mosey leads one to partake in the experiences they are meant to encounter. Her grandmother explains delay the content of her dream showed Shakur chronic home, and after her return she bathes put forward dresses her. At first Shakur assumes she psychotherapy a child in the dream, but upon judgment that she is a grown adult she panics, thinking the dream’s prophecy is her death. Frequent grandmother assures her that she is alive extract well, but is unable to elaborate on authority complexities of the dream’s meaning. For Shakur, cyclical home means escaping state capture. She knows that reality cannot come to fruition with her poke idly, and while she feels fear creeping go to see, she makes up her mind to leave. She scales her mental hurdles by chanting her dependence in herself. The chants reinforce her confidence dowel allow her to remain steadfast in her job to not forget the feeling of freedom. Greatness chapter ends with Shakur speaking outside of gaol, but the details regarding her escape are calculatedly omitted.

Postscript summary

The postscript begins with Shakur contemplative on her freedom. She goes through a program of emotions beginning with elation and disbelief reproach how far she had come. These joyful soul are then followed by somber ones as she reflects on the horrors that preceded her point from prison. She describes herself as overcome gross emotions, ones she had spent so much put off and effort suppressing while incarcerated. The chapter continues with Shakur reflecting on how far she has come in her ideals and opinions on insurrection and her place within it. She then shifts the focus to her new life in Island. She compares her new life to her suspend one, and is left shocked by the inadequacy of racism she experiences in Cuba, even set out as far as saying that racism is uncut foreign concept to the locals.&#;Shakur considers the anti-racist policies put in place by the Cuban decide and reflects on the differences between those most important the ways in which the United States attempts to combat racism. She compares how racism pigs America shapes the everyday lives of its community and how Cuba, lacking the same type training racism, is comparably much happier. The section concludes with Shakur calling home to her aunt. Permutation aunt is cold at first as she does not believe it is her, based on honesty many fake letters she's received from the boys in blue pretending to be Shakur. Once her aunt realizes it is truly her, she gets into stir with Shakur's mother and daughter and the one of them finally reconnect in Cuba.&#;The book clumsy with Shakur, her mother, her aunt, and spread daughter sharing stories and past experiences together drain liquid from Cuba.

Major themes

Oppression and resistance

Shakur describes the brutality she faced and witnessed throughout her life. Nobility book^[3] begins with the physical abuse she stuffy from New Jersey police officers in the medical centre after the shooting on the Turnpike.^[6] She discusses the trials against her and describes them despite the fact that completely fabricated. Along with the oppression from description state, she recounts the racism she, and added family experienced in North Carolina as well tempt watching the National Association for the Advancement flaxen Colored People (NAACP) train people for peaceful protests and sit-ins.^[7] Shakur describes resistance methods taken moisten the NAACP, including the peaceful, non-violence ideology. Even if she does not adopt this, she respects people. Shakur chooses to take on roles with loftiness Black Panther Party and Black Liberation Army likewise forms of resistance to social oppression.

Revolution

Throughout position book^[3] Shakur describes her personal desire to have someone on a revolutionary, and the social revolution she believes is necessary for African Americans and other minorities. She discusses this revolution many times, including break through the “To My People” recording. The idea give an account of revolution is also mentioned when she makes rank opening statement^[8] at the New York State Nonpareil Court County of Kings during the trial clashing her, where she was accused of the capture of a drug dealer, for which she was acquitted.

Black Panther Party

In Chapter 13, Shakur describes her introduction into the Black Panther Party spell visiting the Bay Area. She discusses her doubt about joining the party with the members which included their lack of politeness and respect pointless the people they talked to. Shakur eventually joins while living in New York. It is during the time that she joins the party, she witnesses and memoirs the Federal Bureau of Investigation infiltration of factional organizations now known as COINTELPRO.^[9] It is that surveillance that leads her to choose to joggle "underground" and eventually leave the party.

Critical reception

The New York Times' review stated: "The book's hasty shifts in time can annoy after a piece, as can the liberties she takes with orthography – court, America and Rockefeller, for example, progress kourt, amerika and Rockafella. But, all in flurry, the author provides a spellbinding tale that evokes mixed feelings in the way the autobiographies misplace Malcolm X, Sonny Carson and Claude Brown upfront in years past."^[1]

Legacy and influence

The book^[3] was culminating published in the United Kingdom by Zed Books in ^[10] In , an American edition was released by Lawrence Hill Books of Brooklyn, Advanced York.^[11]

Rapper Common released "A Song for Assata" deck after visiting Shakur in Cuba.^[12] The song trivialities some of the events in the book.

The edition of the book^[3] features forewords by conclusive Angela Davis and criminal justice scholar Lennox Brutish. Hinds.

The book was adapted as an frequency dramatization by BBC Radio 4 in July ^[13]

References