Kristin Figg

WS 202
Reflection 7-24-15
The Chapter Framing the Panther: Assata Shakur and Black
Female Agency discusses the role of women in the Black Panther Party
and Shakurs role in particular. Many people relate the Black Panther
Party to masculinity and militarism when in reality most of the
members of the party were female. The male narrative largely taken
over the history books when it comes to the fight for Civil Rights.
However, just like the men, women often faced extreme brutality and
discrimination from the state. Assata Shakurs case is not different.
She was convicted of murder even though many testified that she
could not have possibly been the perpetrator of the crime. While being
arrested she was shot by police when she was unarmed and had her
hands up. She was then tortured and threatened for information.
When she was in prison she became aware of the wrong doings in
prisons and believed that every woman in Rikers prison was a victim,
not a criminal.
She eventually felt so in danger in the prison that she escaped
and fled to Cuba. Since being there she has drawn many parallels
between her life and the life of a slave. She called her self an
escaped, rebellious slave whose life had been entirely controlled by
white men up to that point. Even though most believe she is innocent

of the crime she has been convicted of, she has still been targeted by
the United States government and there is a 1 million dollar reward for
her capture. Some officials have even talked about using bounty
hunters to kidnap her from Cuba and bring her back to the United
States. She has also spoke out about how many of the women who
she met in prison were there because of the influence of men.
Because of their subordinate role, they have often been forced to
participate in crime and have been dependent on men. When in
prison, they are deprived of many comforts and treated as less than
humans. For example, they are forced to take powerful medications,
and are forced to be dependent on institutionalized life. They often do
not become active in political or social change even though these
institutions are not meeting their needs.
I was shocked at the measures the US government took to try
and contain the Black Panther Party and how violent they were. I think
it is important to note how inclusive the article was. The discrimination
of Native Americans, LGBTQ people, lower class, women in general,
etc. were all included in the article. I think a lot of times when people
hear of black power, they only think of black men and I had not
realized that they fought for equality of everyone.