Afeni Shakur is an American activist, businesswoman and mother of the famous rap artist Tupac Shakur, who was killed in 1996. She spoke out against social injustice and racial discrimination. And after the tragic death of her son, she became a source of comfort for other grieving mothers. Traveling around America, Afeni Shakur spoke at meetings and gave speeches.
Afeni Shakur was a member of a left-wing black organization known as the Black Panther Party and one of those arrested on charges of conspiracy to carry out bombings in public places. Later, Afeni, who was pregnant at that time, was acquitted of all 156 counts.
Raising her children as a single mother, she became addicted to cocaine and was forced to live on social money. Her son Tupac left home and tried to make money with his creativity. However, Afeni managed to overcome her addiction and reunite with her son. Her independent character and revolutionary views are reflected in Tupac's music. She later successfully managed her son's musical heritage and property.
Biography
Afeni Shakur, at the birth of Alice Fay Williams, was born on January 10, 1947 in Lamberton, North Carolina in the family of housewife Rose Belle and truck driver Walter Williams Jr. The girl became the second child of the Williams. Afeni had an older sister, Gloria Jean.
The childhood of the future activist was darkened by the domestic violence that reigned in the family. Fleeing from the tyrant's father, she, along with her mother and sister, moved to New York in 1958. Then she was 11 years old.
Bronx High School of Science Photo: Bxsstudent
In a new place, the girl continued her studies at the Bronx High School of Science. When Afeni was 15 years old, she became addicted to cocaine and during the subsequent years of her life struggled with drug addiction.
Activities in the "Party of Black Panthers"
In 1964, Afeni Shakur met Malcolm Little, also known as Malcolm X. In the Bronx, he recruited young people for the then nascent Black Panther movement. Afeni joined the organization and, according to her, it gave her an understanding of what she should devote her life to. She became the author of the Panther Post party newsletter. And then, having reached the age of 19, she got a job working at the post office.
Malcolm X awaits the start of the press conference on March 26, 1964. Photo: Marion S. Trikosko
In 1966, the radical movement finally took shape when Bobby Seal and Hughie Newton founded the Black Panther Party. In 1968 Afeni, after marrying one of the members of this party, decided to change her name from Alice Fay Williams to Afeni Shakur. In African Yoruba Afeni means "loving people", and Shakur is translated from Arabic as "grateful to God."
Afeni Shakur was the section leader of the Harlem branch of the Black Panther Party and also mentored the new members. On April 2, 1969, twenty-one Panthers, including Shakur, were arrested on charges of conspiracy to bomb department stores, subway stations, police stations and public places in New York City.
The amount of the deposit was high. However, the party decided to bail out Afeni Shakur and Yamal Joseph, and then let the two raise funds to free other detained party members.
Yamal Joseph performing at City Hall in Seattle, Washington Photo: Joe Mabel
After leaving prison on bail, Afeni became pregnant. Already in position, Shakur did not cease to take an active part in the activities of the party. Moreover, inspired by Fidel Castro's 4-hour speech, she decided to represent herself in court. Afeni questioned witnesses and argued in her favor. The trial lasted for 8 months and in May 1971 twenty-one "Panthers" were acquitted on all 156 counts.
Activities
After the trial, Afeni Shakur did not return to the party. But she was always proud of her participation in the activities of this organization and said that the movement taught her to "believe in herself."
She later worked in the Bronx for Richard Fishbein as a paralegal. In 1984, Afeni moved with her children to Baltimore, Maryland. Here she started using crack cocaine and lost her regular job. The family was forced to live on social money.
In 1988, making attempts to get rid of the addiction, she and her children moved again. This time they stopped in Marin County, California. But it didn't help Afeni.
Due to the mother's addiction, in 1989 her son Tupac decided to leave home. For the next several years, he did not make music and did not communicate with his family. In 1991, the rapper's album "2Pacalypse Now" made him a star. In the same year, Afeni Shakur returned to New York and successfully coped with her drug addiction. Later, mother and son made up.
On September 7, 1996, Tupac received four gunshot wounds, from which he later died at the University Medical Center in Las Vegas. After the death of her son Afeni, Shakur became a co-owner of his multimillion-dollar fortune. She also had a library of unpublished materials worth over US $ 100 million at her disposal.
Tupac's graffiti in East Harlem, NY Photo: JJ & Special K
A year later, she founded the recording studio Amaru Entertainment, which was dedicated to releasing Tupac's posthumous material. She also founded the charitable organization Tupac Amaru Foundation of Arts, which provides scholarships and grants to young artists, organizes summer camps for children and various charity events.
In 2003, Afeni Shakur launched her clothing line under the Makaveli brand. In addition, she traveled extensively throughout America, giving lectures and speaking at various rallies. On May 2, 2016, she died presumably of a heart attack at Sausalito Hospital, California.
Personal life
In 1970, Afeni Shakur had a relationship with William Garland, a truck driver from New Jersey. On June 16, 1971, they had a son whom she named Lesane Parish Crooks. However, in 1972 Afeni changed the boy's name to Tupac Amara Shakur.
In 1975, she married Mutulu Shakur and gave birth to a daughter, Sekiyya. In 1982, their marriage broke up. But Mutulu continued to maintain a relationship with his daughter and Tupac. Afeni remarried in 2004 to Dr. Gast Davis Jr.
