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Dr. Mutulu Shakur is a New Afrikan (Black) man whose primary work has been in the area of health. He is a doctor of acupuncture and was a co-founder and director of two institutions devoted to improving health care in the Black community. He is also the father of the late Tupac A. Shakur. I recently had the pleasure of interviewing one of his representatives where they chatted about his movement.
Can you tell myself and the readers about his upbringing?
Dr. Mutulu Shakur was born August 8, 1950 in Baltimore, Maryland to his legally blind mother. He also has a younger sister. Mutulu, by the age of seven, moved to Jamaica Queens, New York with his mother and sister. He grew up without his biological father which would lead him to become a man at a early age. Part of that stage of growing up he also came into his first confrontation in the struggle of being the man of the house with the state helping his mother in the struggle with the social services system so Mutulu was immersed into the social struggle early in his life.
Growing up who were his influences and mentors? How did they impact his life?
Mutulu’s influences early in his life being that he didn’t have his biological father in his life was his movement fathers; two great men by the name of Saladin Shakur and Herman Ferguson. Saladin Shakur was the biological father of Lumumba and Zayd Shakur; two great organizers and leaders of the Black Panther party of New York. Saladin was a associate of Malcolm X member of Ram, Muslim Mosque Inc, OAAU, a Muslim Pan Afrikanist in the struggle. Herman Ferguson was also an associate of Malcolm X and a prominent figure of community organizing in Queens. Herman was involved in the early Rochdale Movement which sought to stop a new housing development in Queens, NY. He was a member of Ram, Muslim Mosque Inc, OAAU, Republic of New Afrika. Hee lead the struggle of Ocean Hill Brownsville Secession Movement and community control of NYC public schools. These two men impacted Mutulu’s life tremendously in his teenage years they were his father figures.
When did brother Mutulu Shakur start getting involved in social activism?
Mutulu starting getting involved in social activism at the early age of 15 from those influences and experiences. Mutulu quickly learned the system did not operate in the best interest of New Afrikan ( Black ) people; he over-stood that we had to control the institutions in our communities to get productive effects in our communities and lives. He followed Herman Ferguson into the New Afrikan Independence Movement and became a citizen of the Republic of New Afrika. In the 1960s his work was with RAM & The RNA & Supporting the Black Panther Party. His most important work was from 1970-1982 working at the Lincoln Detox Center & Community Program, He was a Political Educator, Counselor and Doctor of Acupuncture treating withdrawal symptoms and drug addict patients, from 1978-82 Mutulu Co-Founded and also was Co-Director of the Black Acupuncture Advisory Association of North America (BAAANA) and the Harlem Institute of Acupuncture. He would soon be a target of the Cointelpro illegal Counterintelligence Program carried out by the Federal Bureau of Investigation & J Edgar Hoover.
How did brother Mutulu Shakur become involved with the Black Liberation Army?
In the 1960s The Black Liberation Movement came under attack by cointelpro, FBI, and police for the effective work and community organizing of the movements under BLM, Covert-operations and low intensity warfare was initiated on these Black Liberation Organizations, during that time into 1970s many black panthers, organizers, activists were being targeted and murdered also BAAANA headed by Mutulu became a target in a Rico conspiracy by the late 1970s early 1980s they alleged that the clinic was being maintained by The Black Liberation Army and that The BLA was robbing armored trucks to keep the acupuncture clinic open and financed and other organizations and facilities in the New Afrikan Nation as well. Mutulu became a target and went underground as well as other members of The Black Liberation Army. Mutulu would later be captured in 1986 after years of being underground and being placed on the FBI most wanted list on trumped up RICO charges and accusations by government informants.
Can you tell us what is the Black Liberation Army? What were the views and purpose of the organization?
The Black Liberation Army was a New Afrikan Clandestine formation formed under the most repressive and brutal reactionary climates of time coming from the state ( Government) this created a desirable underground existence for former Black Panthers and New Afrikan Revolutionary Nationalist to survive the repression and attacks from the U.S. until above ground existence could be possible again. The views of the BLA were simple and 3 fold 1. they were anti-capitalist, anti-imperialist, anti-racist, and anti-sexist. 2. The necessity strive for the abolishment of these systems and for the institution of Socialistic relationships in which Black people have total and absolute control over their own destiny as a people and Nation. 3. in order to abolish the systems of oppression, we must utilize the science of class struggle, develop this science as it relates to our unique national condition.
Is brother Mutulu Shakur in any relation the subject of the movie Presidents?
I wouldn’t say Mutulu was in any relation to the movie “Dead Presidents”, even though the movie was claimed to be loosely based on events involving The Black Liberation Army and Bank expropriations.
Does Mutulu Shakur feel happy about his influence and the way Tupac was changing his life trying to make a bigger impact on the culture?
Yes, Dr. Mutulu Shakur is profoundly proud of his influence and positive impact on his son Tupac Shakur and not only him, but all the New Afrikan Black Men lives he has impacted and mentored through out his incarceration inside the prison systems and outside including me, Mutulu is the Mentor of the Black Nation and struggle of our people that positive impact and influence will continue once he’s released our communities need him more then ever. He is extremely happy with what Tupac was able to do in his short 25 years he was here and carrying that baton in this protracted struggle of our people and the culture including HipHop Mutulu misses him dearly.
How many times previously had he been up for parole? What seems to be the determining factor why he doesn’t receive paroled?
Mutulu was eligible for a parole hearing in 1996 2 years later a judge incorrectly ruled that Mutulu was sentenced under new guidelines determining he wasn’t eligible for a parole hearing, 2002 he was giving a 15 year parole hit, Mutulu was projected to be released 2-10-2016 he wasn’t released, he had a statutory interim parole hearing he was denied 4-7-2016, his current release date is 12/15/24, the determining factor of his denial of parole is bias and mainly is influence he will have on our people & communities, at this point we are seeking a compassionate release because he was diagnosed with bone marrow cancer Mutulu is 69 years old and has done 33 years in prison we fear for his survival and life in those prison conditions we want the purposely awakened following to get behind this mission and support Dr Mutulu Shakur at this time a man who has sacrificed so much for our people. He also has another date this spring, please learn about Dr Mutulu Shakur and his struggle and service to our people and help support Mutulu at this time thank you Straight Ahead!
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