Assata Shukar: The First Woman To Make The FBI Terrorist List With A $2M Bounty And Also Is The Godmother of 2Pac

The first woman ever placed on the FBI’s Most Wanted Terrorists list was Assata Shakur, a name that carries both controversy and historical weight. With a $2 million bounty on her head, Shakur’s story is one that continues to spark debate decades after the events that made her infamous.

Born Joanne Chesimard, she was a member of the Black Liberation Army in the 1970s, a time of intense political and social unrest in the United States. Shakur was convicted in connection with the 1973 killing of a New Jersey State Trooper, though she has always maintained her innocence. After escaping from prison in 1979, she fled to Cuba, where she was granted political asylum and has lived ever since.

In 2013, the FBI named Assata Shakur the first woman on its Most Wanted Terrorists list, underscoring the government’s long-standing determination to bring her back to the U.S. Her bounty was set at $2 million, making her one of the most high-profile fugitives of modern times.

Adding another layer of intrigue to her story is her family connection: Assata Shakur is the godmother of legendary rapper Tupac Shakur. The bond between them has often been highlighted as a symbol of the intersection between activism, struggle, and culture.

Assata Shakur remains a polarizing figure—seen by some as a freedom fighter and by others as a dangerous criminal. Regardless of perspective, her legacy is cemented in American history as the woman who defied the odds and challenged one of the most powerful institutions in the world.