News of May 2, 2016
Afeni Shakur Dies at 69
On the evening of May 2, 2016, Afeni Shakur died in Sausalito. The former Black Panther and mother of Tupac was 69. The estate honored her strength.
At 9:34 p.m., deputies were called to her home in Sausalito for a possible cardiac arrest. She was taken to a hospital, but at 10:28 p.m. on the evening of May 2, 2016, Afeni Shakur died. Tupac’s mother was 69 years old. The Marin County Sheriff’s Office shared the news on May 3; the coroner’s office was to determine the cause and manner of death.
Acquitted Shortly Before Tupac’s Birth
Afeni was born Alice Faye Williams in Lumberton, North Carolina, in 1947 and was a member of the Black Panther Party (Tupac and the Panthers). In 1969, she was charged in New York alongside 20 others over alleged bomb plots-the “Panther 21.” Pregnant with Tupac, she stood trial: after an eight-month trial, she was acquitted and released in May 1971. In June 1971, Tupac was born. Her son dedicated “Dear Mama” to her.
Pioneer for Social Change
The estate stated after her death that Afeni embodied “strength, resilience, wisdom, and love” and was a pioneer for social change.