Maya Angelou was an acclaimed poet, author and civil rights activist whose work is lauded to this day. Her inspiring and raw writing speaks for itself, but a lesser known journey of hers was a tour of Africa and America she made in 1969-70. Accompanying the renowned civil rights campaign and political activist, Julius Lester, she embarked on a voyage that would reshape her life and perspective. This is the story of her two-year journey.
Having left San Francisco, the two first stopped in Accra, Ghana. There, they visited the former prime minister, Kwame Nkrumah, who had now been forced into exile. Angelou looked to Nkrumah as one of her heroes, treasuring the opportunity to learn from him and listen to his stories. Sadly, the stop in Accra had to be short-lived as issues with funding began to arise.
The next destination was Nigeria. There, Angelou and Lester quickly got to work, organizing programs of concerts, exhibitions and speeches, as well as visiting universities. During this period, Angelou began her signature poem, “A Phenomenal Woman,” which would later become an anthem for women around the world. With their newfound adoration, they continued to create programs and all the while Angelou wrote new works.
Following their stay in Nigeria, they traveled to what is now Lesotho, Swaziland and South Africa. This leg of the trip was the most significant and character-building, as it allowed Angelou to connect with people she had read about and written about for much of her career. Meeting major figures in the fight against oppressive South African apartheid, like Nelson Mandela, increased her passion for the global fight for racial justice. It also gave her a glimpse into the racism that still lingered in the South, which shaped her writing for years.
The last stop was Jamaica, where Angelou took a pilgrimage to Bob Marley’s grave. There, she had one of her most revelatory experiences, realizing that music truly has the potential to bring people from all walks of life together. This stop was essential in her journey of understanding the power of music, which she further illuminated in her works.
The two then returned to the United States, where she wrote volumes of works within the next year, including her famous autobiographical piece “I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings.” While the tour was rushed and uncertain at times, it sparked her brilliant and long-enduring literary and civil rights form of art. Angelou later said her two-year journey helped her find “the authority to speak my mind,” and that is what defined her legacy.
Her Experiences in Africa
Having left San Francisco and arrived in Ghana, Angelou was moved by her experiences in Africa. After meeting the exiled former prime minister Kwame Nkrumah and feeling a deep connection to his teachings, Angelou continued on to Nigeria – a place she had seen and heard much about, but never experienced first hand. Here, she spent time attending some of the programs she and Lester had organized and writing the first version of “Phenomenal Woman” – a poem which would later become an anthem for women around the world.
In Lesotho, Swaziland and South Africa she connected further with people she had heard about for so long and developed a passion for the fight for racial justice. The journey rounded off with a visit to Jamaica, whereAngelou took a pilgrimage to Bob Marley’s grave and had a revelatory experience: realising the power of music can bridge people from any walk of life. This powerful realization shaped Angelou’s works and drove her to write extensively when she returned to the United States.
The Impact on Angelou’s Work and Legacy
The 2 year-long journey had a major profound impact on Angelou’s writing. The experience inspired her to write truthfully, with passion and authority. As a result, Angelou felt empowered to speak her mind and bring her writing to another level. Her works, in turn, are lauded to this day, with her poem “A Phenomenal Woman” in particular being highly celebrated worldwide.
The journey also had an important impact on the legacy Angelou has left behind. Having experienced racism firsthand, Angelou turned these experiences into powerful works which actively speak for civil rights and the fight for racial justice. As a result, Angelou was and still is an inspiration for people around the world and is viewed as a major driving force behind the civil rights movement.
The Development of Global Understanding
Angelou’s journey also granted her greater understanding and appreciation for the global world she lived in. Through attending programs, she heard stories of people both similar and different to her. She saw the brutality of South African apartheid firsthand and experienced the collective strength of people from disparate cultures coming together in Jamaica, due to their shared admiration for a musician. These realisations shaped Angelou’s worldview and in turn, her works allude to her increasing understanding of different societies and cultures worldwide.
Her Legacy Now
Now, Maya Angelou is remembered as a powerful civil rights activist and inspiring writer who used her hard-earned voice to tell stories of prejudice, injustice and strength. Her journey of Africa and America in 1969-70, though now lesser known, still holds immense relevance today as it highlights the importance of creating global understanding and connections. Her legacy is one that commemorates her courage in putting her life work in her passions and turning her words into action.
