Assata Shakur Becomes First Woman to be on FBI’s Most Wanted Terrorist List

Shakur is wanted in New Jersey for the 1973 murder of a New Jersey State Trooper.

By Jamilah King May 02, 2013

The FBI announced today that former Black Panther Party member Assata Shakur is the [first woman to be added to its most wanted terrorist watch list](http://www.chron.com/news/us/article/NJ-trooper-s-killer-named-a-most-wanted-terrorist-4482018.php). Shakur was convicted of the 1973 murder of a New Jersey State Trooper and sentenced to life in prison. In 1979, she escaped from prison and has since sought refuge in Cuba as a political exile. Shakur still professes her innocence in the case, and her name has since become synonymous with the ongoing political struggles of Black Power Era activists who supporters say were falsely accused of crimes during the 1970s. The FBI and the state of New Jersey also announced Thursday that the reward for Shakur’s capture has been doubled to $2 million.