CHICAGO – The Chicago Teachers Union (CTU) mourned the death of political activist Assata Shakur, who was convicted of murder in 1977 and on the FBI’s Most Wanted Terrorists list in an X post Friday. Shakur was also the step-aunt and godmother of late rapper Tupac Shakur.
What we know:
“Rest in Power, Rest in Peace, Assata Shakur,” the CTU’s post read. “Today we honor the life and legacy of a revolutionary fighter, a fierce writer, a revered elder of Black liberation, and a leader of freedom whose spirit continues to live in our struggle.”
The post added, “Assata refused to be silenced. She taught us that ‘It is our duty to fight for our freedom. It is our duty to win. We must love each other and support each other. We have nothing to lose but our chains.'”
Cuban officials announced Friday that Shakur, who was born JoAnne Deborah Byron and was also known as Joanne Chesimard, died in Havana decades after escaping prison and fleeing to the communist nation. Shakur was a member of the Black Liberation Army.
In 1977, Shakur was convicted of the murder of State Trooper Werner Foerster during a 1973 shootout on the New Jersey Turnpike. She escaped from prison in 1979 and lived underground before surfacing in Cuba in 1984.
The FBI and the New Jersey attorney general each offered a $1 million reward for her capture.
Shakur maintained that she could not have fired the shots to kill Foerester.
What they’re saying:
Corey DeAngelis, a senior fellow at the American Culture Project and a visiting fellow at the American Institute for Economic Research, responded to the post with a single sentence on Shakur’s history.
“It’s almost like the Chicago Teachers Union is trying to alienate reasonable members and win an award for the most unhinged organization on Earth,” DeAngelis told Fox News Digital on Saturday. “This post should be a wake-up call to Chicago teachers who don’t feel like their values are accurately represented by the union.”
“It’s beyond parody. The Chicago Teachers Union, which is supposed to be responsible for educating kids, is honoring a convicted murderer using its official social media account,” DeAngelis added.
When speaking to Fox News Digital, DeAngelis urged “rational educators who just want to do their job” to “stop giving union bosses like Stacy Davis Gates their hard-earned paychecks by opting out.”
New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy also shared his disapproval, saying, “Shameful and depraved. She was convicted of the murder New Jersey State Trooper Werner Foerster, who was executed in cold blood. There are so many worthy heroes to celebrate. She is not one of them.”
Former Ohio State Senator Nina Turner shared a post similar to CTU’s on X, saying, “‘Part of being a revolutionary is creating a vision that is more humane. That is more fun, too. That is more loving. It’s really working to create something beautiful.’ – Assata Shakur Rest In Power.”
The Democratic Socialists of America did the same, saying, “Rest in Power, Assata Shakur. The American state brutally oppressed Assata and her Black Panther Party Comrades. The Cubans welcomed her and other Black Revolutionaries with asylum, and their solidarity and loyalty allowed Assata to live out her days in Havana.
We vow to honor her legacy by recognizing our duty to fight for our freedom, to win, to love and protect one another because we have nothing to lose but our chains.”
Fox News Digital reached out to the CTU for comment on Saturday but did not immediately hear back.
Fox News Digital’s Stephen Sorace, Andrew Murray, and Fox 32 Chicago’s Digital Staff contributed to this report.