MARIN COUNTY, CA––Afeni Shakur, revolutionary and mother of the late 2pac Shakur, died Monday night, May 2, 2016 at about 10:30 p.m. She was 69 years old.
Marin County sheriffs said they responded to her home in Sausalito, CA Monday night after she suffered a possible cardiac arrest. She was taken to a hospital where she passed.
Marin County sheriffs––which is an arm of the State and who 2pac constantly battled against––tweeted the news yesterday morning.
Marin County sheriff’s Coroner’s office will lead the “investigation” to determine the cause and manner of Afeni’s death.
Life of Elder Afeni Shakur
Afeni joined the Black Panther Party (BPP) in 1964 after meeting an associate of Malcolm X who was doing recruitment in the Bronx. One of her roles was Secretary for the BPP.
She began writing articles for the Black Panther Party’s newsletter, the Panther Post, and was successful in crafting a misdirection campaign that led FBI agents to believe that the BPP was fading.
On April 2, 1969, 21 BPP members were indicted by the State for conspiracy to kill several police officers and to destroy a number of buildings, including four police stations, five department stores, and the Bronx Botanical Gardens.
It is important to note that the FBI was at the time in the midst of a brutal counterinsurgency program in its mission to destroying the Black Panther Party. There were hundreds, if not thousands, of Africans that were either murdered or thrown into prisons because of their affiliation with the Party.
Afeni and the other BPP defendants went to trial in 1971 in what became known as the Panther 21 trial. Afeni, who was pregnant with her son 2pac at the time, defended herself.
The case lasted more than 5 months, and Afeni was largely responsible for defeating the prosecution’s case. In her cross-examination of undercover pig, Ralph White, she performed like a seasoned attorney and was freed in May 1971.
Afeni gave birth to her son, 2pac, a month later on June 16, 1971.
Afeni later married now political prisoner Mutulu Shakur. Mutulu, who was part of the New Afrika Independence movement was imprisoned in February 1986 for the alleged liberation of Assata Shakur from prison, as well as the liberation of $1.6 million from a Brinks armored truck in which 3 pigs were killed.
Mutulu was also a victim of the FBI’s counterinsurgency program.
The State has never “helped” Africans
Any action by the State which involves African people must be examined closely. The State has never acted to benefit African people––ever.
The fact that Marin County sheriffs were summoned to the home of the Elder Afeni Shakur for a medical emergency should be questioned.
Also, Marin County sheriffs are leading the investigation into comrade Afeni’s death. This action only benefits the State as we can believe nothing the State says. The State lies all of the time.
The African People’s Socialist Party (APSP) understands the need for Black Community Control of the Police. If we had Black Community Control of the Police, Afeni would have been protected from any possible assault on the police.
Also, the African community would be leading an investigation into her death, not the State.
Afeni was a longtime friend of the Party
After the U.S. government effectively defeated the Black Panthers, Comrade Sister Afeni Shakur became a friend of the African People’s Socialist Party and Chairman Omali Yeshitela.
In November of 1982, Shakur participated in the first World Tribunal on Reparations for Black People in the U.S. that was held in New York City, which occurred under the leadership of our Party.
The World Tribunal established a process wherein the oppression of African people in the United States would be taken seriously by the international community.
Afeni testified at the World Tribunal as a victim of the U.S. government’s Counter Intelligence Program (COINTELPRO).
At the Tribunal, Afeni gave a most chilling and detailed account of the State’s repressive apparatus against the Black Liberation Struggle.
Comrade Afeni reminded all who heard her testimony that “we have got to know that we are fighting a just war; we have got to know that our struggle is just.”
In the latter part of the 1980s Afeni and her family maintained a close relationship with the Party when it was headquartered in Oakland, California.
2pac Shakur often frequented the Oakland Uhuru House where he and the Hip-Hop group Digital Underground—of which he was a member at that time—rehearsed their routines.
One member of the group, Kenneth “Kenny-K” Waters, eventually left the group and joined the Party.
Since its founding in 1972, the African People’s Socialist Party has worked with nearly every major African revolutionary.
Despite the murder and passing of so many African revolutionary soldiers, it remains the responsibility of the Party to forward the African Revolution.
The African People’s Socialist Party and all of the Uhuru Movement’s forces honor one of our fallen elders, Afeni Shakur.
Long live Sister Afeni Shakur!
Long Live the African Revolution!
Uhuru!
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