7 Quotes from “Assata: An Autobiography” Relevant Today

A few years ago I picked up a copy of “Assata: An Autobiography” because it was on my reading list. The book is an autobiography of the black revolutionary Assata Shakur, who is currently living in Cuba on political asylum, after being charged with the murder of a New Jersey state trooper on May 2, 1973.  I’ve always heard about Assata’s story and thought it was time to educate myself on her story and form my own opinion. From the very start, I was not able to put it down. It has been said that a well-written book can “stand the test of time.” Could a book publish in 1987 speak on things happening today? Armed with a highlighter, and goal-oriented mindset I went on a mission to find 7 quotes that the present-day revolutionary would share. Overall I found “Assata: An Autobiography” inspiring and highly recommend it. If at least one of these quotes resonate with you then you should read her story. #handsoffassata

 Here they are...

1) “People get used to anything. The less you think about your oppression, the more your tolerance for it grows. After a while, people just think oppression is the normal state of things. But to become free,“People are tried and convicted in the newspapers and on television before they ever see a courtroom.” you have to be acutely aware of being a slave.”

2) “No movement can survive unless it is constantly growing and changing with the times. If it isn't growing, if it's stagnant, and without the support of the people, no movement for liberation can exist, no matter how correct its analysis of the situation is. That's why political work and organizing are so important. Unless you are addressing the issues people are concerned about and contributing positive direction, they'll never support you. The first thing the enemy tries to do is isolate revolutionaries from the masses of people, making us horrible and hideous monsters so that our people will hate us.”

3) “The schools we go to are reflections of the society that created them. Nobody is going to give you the education you need to overthrow them. Nobody is going to teach you your true history, teach you your true heroes, if they know that that knowledge will help set you free.”

4) “Only a fool lets somebody else tell him who his enemy is.”

5) “The whole thing boiled down to a simple equation: anything that has any kind of value is made, mined, grown, produced, and processed by working people. So why shouldn't working people collectively own that wealth? Why shouldn't working people own and control their own resources?”

6) ”I felt, and still feel, that it is necessary for Black revolutionaries to come together, analyze our history, our present condition, and to define ourselves and our struggle.”

7) “Nobody in the world, nobody in history, has ever gotten their freedom by appealing to the moral sense of the people who were oppressing them.”