Excerpt from William Gumede's new introduction to the autobiography of Assata Shakur

William Gumede, The Mail & Gaurdian

Poor governance, endemic corruption and self-enrichment at the expense of the poor black masses by South African and African ruling parties, governments and leaders spawn a perpetual cycle of racism against blacks.

Centuries of colonialism, slavery and apartheid have left an entrenched legacy of institutional racism across the globe, whereby darker-skinned people are often instinctively prejudiced in societies and invariably suffer from lack of social, political and economic power.

I am a 20th Century Escaped Slave

Assata Shakur

Assata Shakur, CounterPunch

My name is Assata Shakur, and I am a 20th century escaped slave. Because of government persecution, I was left with no other choice than to flee from the political repression, racism and violence that dominate the US government’s policy towards people of color. I am an ex-political prisoner, and I have been living in exile in Cuba since 1984.

From Michael Brown to Assata Shakur, the racist state of America persists

Angela Davis, The Guardian

Although racist state violence has been a consistent theme in the history of people of African descent in North America, it has become especially noteworthy during the administration of the first African-American president, whose very election was widely interpreted as heralding the advent of a new, postracial era.