An Amerikan Family: The Shakurs and the Nation They Created

by Santi Elijah Holley, Adam Lazarre-White (Reader)

An Amerikan Family is a light helping us go forward." -- Nikki Giovanni, poet An enlightening history of the rise and lasting impact of Black liberation groups in America, as seen through the Shakurs, one of the movement's most prominent and fiercely creative families, home to Tupac and Assata, and a powerful incubator for today's activism, scholarship, and artistry. They have been celebrated, glorified, and mythologized. They have been hailed as heroes, liberators, and freedom fighters. They have been condemned, pursued, imprisoned, exiled, and killed. But the true and complete story of the Shakur family--one of the most famous names in contemporary Black American history--has never been told. For over fifty years, the Shakurs have inspired generations of activists, scholars, and music fans. Many people are only familiar with Assata Shakur, the popular author and thinker, living for three decades in Cuban exile; or the late rapper Tupac. But the branches of the Shakur family tree extend widely, and the roots reach into the most furtive and hidden depths of the underground. An Amerikan Family is a history of the fight for Black liberation in the United States, as experienced and shaped by the Shakur family. It is the story of hope and betrayal, addiction and murder, persecution and revolution. An Amerikan Family is not only family genealogy; it is the story of Black America's long struggle for racial justice and the nation's covert and repressive tactics to defeat that struggle. It is the story of a small but determined community, taking extreme, unconventional, and often perilous measures in the quest for freedom. In short, the story of the Shakurs is the story of America.

Genres: History, Nonfiction, Biography, Audiobook, Politics, African American, Race

1 pages, Audio CD

First published May 23, 2023

Reviews

[Karen Ashmore · Rating 4 out of 5]

An amazing story of the Shakur family: from Efeni and Mutula who were Black Panther Party leaders to Assata Shakur, the Black Liberation Army leader and asylee in Cuba to Tupac Shakur, originally a Black liberation movement rapper who got sidetracked by thug life.

We also see the programs they developed that are now institutionalized in society such as the Free Breakfast program now managed by the USDA, the Patient Bill of Rights used by nearly every hospital today, and the use of acupuncture for drug treatment.

Their exposure of COINTELPRO (established by J. Edgar Hoover and the FBI) showed the extreme measures that law enforcement took to stop Black liberation. It is sad that so many political prisoners are still incarcerated in this horrific implementation of mass incarceration and white supremacy.

This is an eye opening book for Black and white readers alike. Not the best written book but the story is worth it. It is also well researched.

[Ma'Belle · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars rounded up
Not what I was expecting. I've been wanting to listen to the writings of Assata Shakur and knew that Mutulu had just been released from prison and then passed away this past year, and there's a new biography of Tupac out, but this one looked more up my alley. It ended up feeling more like a history of the Black Panther Party and their most revolutionary adjacent groups, with Shakurs as the common thread. Regardless, it's a really fascinating, troubling, and important story.

[Sterling Hardaway · Rating 4 out of 5]

A detailed look at the many iterations of Black Panther Party and Black activist movements from the 60s to 90's through the lenses of Mutulu, Afeni, Assata, and Tupac Shakur throughout time. If there's a minor critique, it could have spent much more time on Tupac's impact after death.

[Ty Brandon · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Shakur Family!
Political, prominent and passionate about oppressed people of color.
Wanting justice, and equality for all, Santi E. Holley takes us all the way back to the beginning: Salahudeen, Lumumba, Odinga, Mutulu, Assata, and Afeni. There are many Shakurs, right down to Parish Lesane Crooks, who truly have helped shaped this nation; enter the Black Panthers!
With entrepreneurship, Islam, and Black nationalism, better housing, black educators, and medical treatments were nationally recognized. Along with two other movements shaping our nation: Black Liberation Army, and Republic of New Afrika. They waged a war as they sought fairness in all areas of humanity. If it weren’t for that fateful and tragic day, further advances for a better way and quality of life would have been achieved.
It also highlights the life cycle of Tupac, explains his passion for hip-hop and the lyrics he gave us to teach the young and black.
I appreciate the deeper look into his emotions and his downward spiral, to better understanding understand him as a Shakur and the trials he endured. He is one of THE best hip-hop artists in the 90’s.
Although I don’t condone violence, I understand the measures taken and their rationale.
Honestly, if they had it to do over, I would expect them to fight just the same. And why not, WE are still struggling with equality today!!
Overall, this was a hard hit, heartfelt read AND a reminder that there is still a way to go.
We can come together as a people and a nation to achieve what the Shakurs , Malcom, Martin, and so many others set out to accomplish.
Four stars as I had a bit of a challenge keeping up with the dates and names at times. It was a lot of worthy and pertinent information, just didn’t flow as smooth for me until later in the book.
Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Collins Publishers for advanced early access, in turn for my honest review.
#AmerikanFamilyAn

[Julia Kanouse · Rating 3 out of 5]

The story of the Shakur family is fascinating and I learned so much about the Black Panther movement that I had never known. The book itself is a bit of a tough read - I got lost in the names and dates. While I appreciate the author’s thoroughness, I think the book could have been even more impactful with better storytelling.

[Anjali · Rating 5 out of 5]

I listened to the audio, and almost wanted a family tree to have on hand to see the connections as I listened to the book. This is a thorough, thoughtful history of both the Black Panther party and the Shakurs.

[Carol Park · Rating 5 out of 5]

Santi Elijah Holley has done a great job researching and writing this fascinating piece of American history - the history of the Black Panther Party and Black Liberation Army of the 1960s & 70s (into the 80s and 90s) and the Shakur family. Who they were and their role in history. A time in our history I didn't know much about, being white - living and breathing white culture (systemic racism) in the 60s and 70s in the South. I appreciate Holley's writing style- neutral and unbiased (just the facts) that allows the reader to come to their own conclusions. This is a great, necessary read that lends itself to further discussion about this time in our history.

Before reading Holley's book I watched "Dear Mama" about Tupac Shakur - very well done. It gave me a base of knowledge about the brilliant and talented Tupac, son of Alfeni Shakur, his incredibly strong, intelligent, revolutionary leader, generous and big-hearted mama.

[Jessica Gibson · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of those books that makes you want to pick up half a dozen more biographies on the subjects. Fantastic read and incredible perspective.

[Jessica Marie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a fantastic book to follow Mark Whitaker's Saying It Loud: The Year Black Power Challenged the Civil Rights Movement. An Amerikan Family follows Saying it Loud chronologically and continues the story in a way that I have not read previously. Both books told the stories of impactful people who left their mark on their communities. I appreciated Holley's focus on Afeni Shakur because women's stories are still ignored.

[Jason Scoggins · Rating 5 out of 5]

A retributional contribution. This is a unique story, that could only be told in Amerika. Highly recommend for those interested in the Black Liberation movement, the history of it, and how you can still lend ear and effort to it's principles which are at the heart the particular care and interest in uplifting black people. The Shakur name is synonymous with that

[Hannah · Rating 4 out of 5]

I prefer the Tupac Shakur biography by Staci Robinson, but I also liked the greater depth of family history before and after him. I’m inspired by what this family has achieved despite all that was stacked against them. Their influence will continue for as many generations as it takes to make Black lives matter to every American. Now I immediately want to play his music on Spotify.

[Charlotte Provagna · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great book. I learned a lot and the book moved quickly.

[Vanessa · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely love this book!! So much time was placed in researching the Shakur legacy. If you enjoy reading about the Civil Rights Movement, you most definitely will enjoy this book.

[Hope Brasfield · Rating 5 out of 5]

I can't remember the last time I read a nonfiction book this quickly and felt like I actually retained the information by the end. I learned so much! And I think this might be a great place for a lot of people to start. By that I mean, this book touches on so many important pieces of our history -- the Black Panthers, COINTELPRO, organizing work as it's morphed across decades, pop culture as it intertwines with that work, etc. etc. It's great, I loved it.

[Eric Reads! · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you. Thank you to the black panther party for your sacrifices and heroic actions you have done to make sure the people were a community. Thank you black liberation army for fighting, fighting, and fighting no matter what you were up against. Thank you to the Shakur family for everything you guys contributed to society especially being a black man! And thank you Tupac Shakur for your standing on where you and your family have given the generations to come. R.I.P.

[Ally · Rating 5 out of 5]

Equal parts powerful and devastating, this story of the Shakur family taught me so much I didn't even know that I didn't know. Many times throughout the book are moments of great strength through collectiveness, that intentionally gets undercut by oppressive powers to "divide and conquer," a tactic we can see used even today. Honestly, so little has substantially changed since the events of this book, I understand why the Black Panthers felt so coolly towards MLK's views on resistance. I feel I have a more rounded view of their group now, seeing how much good they did and how much of it could still be helpful today (most notably things like the grassroots rehab centers and teaching African languages to Black American students).

It's hard not to feel despair at the levels people will go to undercut every movement for positive change, but if there's anything to learn from reading this, is to see how unification and resistance is always a worthy task.

[reading.withree · Rating 5 out of 5]

•••••
“Nobody in the world, nobody in history, has ever gotten their freedom by appealing to the moral sense of the people who were oppressing them.”
•��•••
This book follows the Shakur Family, a group of friends and relatives who adopted the surname “Shakur” in honor of Black nationalist ideals. It explores the Shakur family’s role and impact on Black nationalism, the Black liberation movement and modern activism. Holley’s meticulously researched narrative chronicles the lives of Mutulu Shakur, Assata Shakur and Tupac Shakur.
•••••
This was beautifully written. It connected the families activism, art, struggles and triumphs. From the Black Panther Party to the music world, the Shakur family’s influence has been profound. Holley does an amazing job providing rich context to help readers understand their legacy. “An Amerikan Family” is the perfect mix of a memoir, biography and cultural history. Highly recommend this book!

[Clarke Hill · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a fascinating read. Extremely well put together history interspersed with enough personal stories to make you really get to know the people involved. To me the most compelling through line is the detailed reporting of the systemic take down of the Black Panthers by the U.S. government. I thought I knew but it goes so much deeper than I could have imagined. An important piece of our history that is not discussed enough.

[Jen · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Shakurs (Afeni,Zayd, Mutulu, Tupac) influence on American society through Black Panther groups, prison breaks, free breakfasts for children, robberies, prison breaks, hospitals using acupuncture for drug rehabilitation speaking up for civil rights, music, and media presence made this book highly entertaining. It’s worth a read- interesting, entertaining and provocative.

[Hannah · Rating 5 out of 5]

My knowledge of black history in America starts with slavery and ends with the assassination of MLK Jr. Sprinkle in "redlining" and BLM and that's about it.

Very shameful.

I had heard of the Black Panthers and the Black Liberation Army, but I really knew very little about either. This book is fascinating and breaks down that missing history in detail.

[Tom Whalen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book, don’t expect too much about Tupac but I am now firmly on board with the conspiracies about his death :)

[Valeri Drach · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very well researched book about several generations of Shakues, from the formation of the Black panthers to Tupacs hip hop years.much sadness, violence and persecution. Too much killing.

[Rachel · Rating 5 out of 5]

There was so much history here that I didn’t know. ✊🏼

[Rosemary · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sooo much information. He did his research. I really enjoyed hearing about our revolutionaries. ✊️

[Dara · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastic audio. Mostly focuses on the rise of the Black Panther party on the east coast and finishes with Tupac and Black Lives Matter.

[Dean Summers · Rating 5 out of 5]

An Amerikan Family is a tribute to radical activist Salahdeen Shakur and those in his family who, from the mid-Sixties, engaged in the struggle for the liberation of the oppressed people of America. The Shakur family includes among Salahdeen’s kith and kin those who adopted the Shakur name to express solidarity with him in the struggle. The book chronicles the rise and fall of the Black Panther Party and the Black Liberation Army—a story that then serves as the backdrop for an account of the life and tragic death of Salahdeen’s heir, Tupac Shakur.

In large measure, this book tells a tale of armed robbery and murder justified as revolutionary action in the struggle against oppression. In An Amerikan Family, the reality of oppression in America is neither proven nor even argued. The reader is expected to know already that oppression is an ongoing cancer in American society. If you’re not convinced, read The New Jim Crow: Mass Incarceration in the Age of Colorblindness by Michelle Alexander. For many millions of Americans, no such exposé is required, because the oppression is a daily experience.

But is the answer to oppression really armed robbery and murder? Is the answer violent insurrection? And what is the endgame? The only one mentioned in An Amerikan Family is the utopian fantasy that a new republic might be carved out somewhere in Africa or in the American South somehow—as rage engenders rage, as hate engenders hate, as retaliation engenders retaliation.

The logic of violence comes down to this: in a dog-eat-dog world, to fight the dogs, you have to renounce your own humanity. If that is the answer, there is no answer. Certainly, acquiescence is no answer.

But there may well be an answer. Look for it in Pedagogy of the Oppressed by Paulo Freire. Look for it in Violence and Nonviolence in South Africa: Jesus' Third Way by Walter Wink. Look for it in Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount, the original field guide for nonviolent direct action.

How to rate An Amerikan Family: The Shakurs and the Nation They Created? I give it five stars, because it chronicles an important chapter in American history, it calls attention to an ongoing cancer in American society, and it raises urgent questions. It is not clear to me that the author’s intent is to justify a violent response to oppression. At times I can see how he might even be calling into question the validity of reciprocal violence. He certainly provides ample evidence that reciprocal violence is counterproductive. Personally, I am convinced that oppression can never be ended by violent retaliation. But I agree wholeheartedly that oppression in America is an ongoing evil—and that justice cries out, demanding that it be exposed, that it be acknowledged, that it be rectified.

[LJ · Rating 5 out of 5]

I didn’t grow up in a family that listened to hip-hop or rap, so my interest in 2Pac and his music started when I was gifted a ‘Now That’s What I Call Music 19’ CD for Christmas and I heard Ghetto Gospel through the headphones attached to my Walkman for the first time. I read Malcolm X’s autobiography in high school when we were learning about the civil rights movement, which lead to me learning about the Black Panthers, which lead to me learning about Afeni Shakur, and so began my fascination with the legacy of the Shakur’s. So when I saw this book was coming out I knew I had to read it.

An Amerikan Family traces the story of the Shakur’s from the origins of the Black Panther movement through to Tupac’s death, followed by a brief epilogue on where those that are still living are today. This is a thoroughly researched and balanced historical account. It covers a lot of ground and while there was a lot that I have read or heard about previously when it came to key players and key events - like the Panther 21 case, as well as Assata, Afeni, and Tupac’s stories, this book filled in a lot of information I didn’t know. It highlighted other Shakur’s and members of various movements, and events that I’d never heard of.

My only note is I wish it had a glossary of names, there were a lot of people mentioned and most changed their names at least once if not more, so it would have been handy to have something to flick back to to keep track of everyone. Otherwise a fantastic read.

[Michael · Rating 5 out of 5]

Santi Elijah Holley's social / political history of the Shakur family is brimming with exceptionally accessible prose detailing the lives of, until now, overlooked figures in American life. If you want to know more about the people who influenced Tupac Shakur's political philosophy, this is an excellent place to begin. Santi intelligently discusses the Black Panthers, the Black Liberation Army, Afeni Shakur, Lumumba Shakur, Sekou Odinga, Mutulu Shakur, Assata Shakur, and many other people who helped influence the second half of the twentieth century despite targeted oppression by numerous arms of the various governments (state and federal) within the United States.

The positive press accompanying Amerikan Famiy's release is not an accident. Santi is a talented writer. He does not talk down to his readers and he deftly walks the arguably fine line between unnecessary detail and superficial analysis. I would recommend this book to anyone of almost any age with an interest in American history, not just Tupac's fans. Tupac's fans, however, will definitely enjoy Amerikan Family, particularly the sections toward the conclusion of the book that deal with his tragic and triumphant life.

I look forward to future books by Mr. Holley (an author worth paying attention to).

[J Earl · Rating 5 out of 5]

An Amerikan Family by Santi Elijah Holley is a fascinating examination of both the Shakur family and the forces working against an equitable society for all members.

This is both very well-researched and written in a very compelling manner, which makes even the most infuriating parts a good read. As simply the story of one family, albeit a very important one, coupled with the societal/governmental infrastructure within which and against with they struggled, this is a great read. Hopefully readers won't stop there.

This is an opportunity to see just how far we still have to go. Our state has become ever more surveillant, and the paramilitary arm of the white supremacist government, the police and other law enforcement agencies, has become more extreme in its "legal" techniques to maintain an unequitable society.

Highly recommended for those wanting a better, and more honest, history of the latter half of last century. Also those who might only know of Tupac and/or Assata, this will make you understand and appreciate them more.

Reviewed from a copy made available by the publisher via NetGalley.

[Sol · Rating 4 out of 5]

“An Amerikan Family” was an interesting book, I was fascinated by the complicated history of a very influential family within a pivotal time in America. The only thing that I had a hard time with, was the way that at times there was too much information. There were too many people being introduced, now these people and what they did and how they changed the course of history is extremely important but I feel like so much of the main story got lost because I was trying to figure out who these figures were and how they played into what was going on. Yet these garages of names and deeds were thrown in then moved past. It made trying to figure out what information was helpful and what was not as relevant difficult. It also took away from the having a smooth read, it made things very disjointed. Other than that, it was a good book and it did introduce me to a lot of figures that are often ignored, to events that are glossed over. It was amazing how well researched this book is and how passionate Santi Elijah Holley is about this story. Not incredibly well written story wise but again, it is worth the read.