Afeni Shakur facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Afeni Shakur
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Shakur giving a speech in 2009
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| Born |
Alice Faye Williams
January 10, 1947 |
| Died | May 2, 2016 (aged 69) Sausalito, California, U.S.
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| Occupation | Activist |
| Years active | 1968–1971 |
| Political party | Black Panther Party |
| Spouse(s) |
Lumumba Shakur
(m. 1968; div. 1971)Mutulu Shakur
(m. 1975; div. 1982)Gust Davis
(m. 2004) |
| Children | 2, including Tupac Shakur |
Afeni Shakur Davis (born Alice Faye Williams; January 10, 1947 – May 2, 2016) was an American activist and a member of the Black Panther Party. She was best known as the mother of the famous rapper Tupac Shakur. After Tupac's death, she managed his music and helped create programs for young people.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Afeni Shakur was born Alice Faye Williams on January 10, 1947, in Lumberton, North Carolina. When she was eleven, she and her sister moved to the South Bronx in New York with their mother.
Alice went to Benjamin Franklin Junior High School in the Bronx. She was a good reader and earned honors. She wrote for the school newspaper, The Franklin Flash. In ninth grade, she won a journalism award.
She passed tests to get into special high schools but chose the High School of Performing Arts. She felt performers were free-spirited. However, she found it hard to afford supplies and felt out of place. She left school after one term.
She later worked briefly as a mail carrier. She was one of the first women to do this job in New York.
Becoming an Activist
In 1968, Alice Williams joined the Black Panther Party. This was a political group that worked for the rights of African Americans. She joined after hearing Bobby Seale speak.
She met Lumumba Shakur there and married him in November 1968. After marrying, she changed her name to Afeni Shakur. She became a leader in the Harlem chapter of the Black Panther Party. She also helped new members learn about the group's goals.
The Panther 21 Trial
In April 1969, Afeni Shakur and twenty other Black Panthers were arrested. They were accused of planning certain actions against public places in New York.
Afeni Shakur spent two years in the New York Women's House of Detention. In May 1971, after an eight-month trial, she and the others were found not guilty. After her release, she continued to speak out for fairness within the Black Panthers.
Later Life and Legacy
On June 16, 1971, Afeni Shakur gave birth to her son. He was first named Lesane Parish Crooks. Later, he became known as Tupac Shakur.
In 1975, she married Mutulu Shakur. They had a daughter named Sekyiwa Shakur. They divorced in 1982. Afeni Shakur also worked as a paralegal, helping with legal tasks.
In 1984, she moved her family to Baltimore, Maryland. Later, they moved to Marin County in California.
In 2004, her biography, Afeni Shakur: Evolution of a Revolutionary, was released. It was written by Jasmine Guy. In the book, Afeni shared stories about her life and her time in the Black Panther Party.
Afeni Shakur traveled around the U.S. to give speeches. She spoke about her experiences and how to overcome challenges. In 2009, she gave a speech at Vanderbilt University for Black History Month.
She later married Gust Davis.
Afeni Shakur passed away on May 2, 2016, at the age of 69. She had heart problems at her home in California.
Managing Tupac Shakur's Estate
One year after Tupac's death, Afeni Shakur used money from his music to create the Tupac Amaru Shakur Foundation. This foundation offers art programs for young people. She also founded the Tupac Amaru Shakur Center for the Arts in Stone Mountain, Georgia.
In 1997, she started Amaru Entertainment. This company manages all of Tupac's music and other creative works that were not released yet. She also launched a clothing line called Makaveli Branded in 2003.
In 2014, Afeni Shakur helped create a Broadway musical. It was called Holler If Ya Hear Me and featured Tupac's music.
Afeni Shakur set up a trust to control all of Tupac's music rights. After her death, Tom Whalley became the person in charge of his estate.
See Also
In Spanish: Afeni Shakur para niños
- Tupac Shakur
- Assata Shakur
- Mopreme Shakur
