At the peak of her career, renowned author and poet Maya Angelou was a celebrated figure. Her extensive literature and performing arts influence has inspired millions around the world. However, much of her personal life was kept tightly under wraps, such as her marriage life. In short, no, Maya Angelou didn’t marry in her lifetime.
As with many accomplished members of today’s society, Angelou was no doubt connected to many potential prospects. Yet, due to her commitment to serve her craft, she seemed to willingly choose a life of solo fulfillment. In fact, Angelou proclaimed that she was “too busy” to get married or have children. This was a lifestyle decision that was important for the time Angelou lived in – the ’60s through to the ’90s.
On the flip side, Angelou did have a history of relationships. Angelou was married twice, though due to her chosen single lifestyle, both marriages ended in a timely fashion. In 1951, she married deceased college professor Tosh Angelos. Their marriage was brief, lasting a mere two months, before they decided to move their separate ways. Soon after, she had a five-year affair with South African resistance leader Vusumzi Make. These two unions are the only known evidences of her past romantic entanglements.
It’s rumored that later on in her life, Angelou was in a romantic relationship with late actor/director Paul du Feu. There is no stating what the extent of the relationship was, but the two were often seen together enjoying gatherings and visiting one another until he passed away in 2007.
An interesting observation is Angelou’s bond with President Bill Clinton. Many have come to the conclusion that Angelou had a fondness for Clinton, often referring to him as her son. This led to many speculating that Angelou was his “surrogate mother.”
The undeniable passion between the two always had the public wondering if there was ever a romantic union between them. Both Angelou and Clinton declared that there was not. Some joked on the inspiration of the relationship being nothing more than “Sisterly Love” or perhaps “motherly love,” for the fact that Angelou was decades older than Clinton, who was born in 1946 after Angelou in 1928.
It’s safe to say the one true relationship that Angelou was married to was her craft. Her success as an author and poet created a solid platform of her own, where it surely presented itself as the counterweight to any potential romantic affairs.
Angelou’s Childhood Relationships
As a result of all the moves Maya Angelou had to take as a child, she left behind any chance of marriage in her adolescent years. Angelou was born in St. Louis and moved to California at age three. Soon after, her parents’ divorce meant that she and her brother had to remain in St. Louis with their grandmother. At the age of eight, she and her brother were then sent back to California to live with their mother. With all of these changes and being young, it’s not likely that Angelou had any serious relationships.
The only real perspective of a romantic relationship Angelou could have had was with her grandad. It is believed their relationship was very close and they shared a deep admiration and bond. In an interview with Lifetime Magazine, Angelou explained that it was her grandad who “made all the difference in [her] life, he gave [her] unconditional love.” His passing also had a huge impact in Angelou’s life; and it’s said it is what drove her to start writing.
Angelou was also seen mentioning in some of her early works an unnamed man referred to as “Mr. Freeman”, in which she reported her experience with a rape when she was eight. This could be seen as an attachment Angelou formed for a time, however there is no official evidence of a sole romantic relationship she had with him.
It could be suggested that Angelou had her hand in many different experiences that could’ve been seen as attachments with men. According to a report, Angelou was “involved in a few romantic affairs while working as a nightclub singer in San Francisco.” In that sense, Angelou seemed to explore the different avenues presented to her; yet she seemed to prefer solidifying her career while denying any thought of marriage.
Angelou’s Feminist Values
Maya Angelou was very vocal in her beliefs of female empowerment and sang of its praises in her works. This could be seen as a motivation for her to never marry. Readily, Angelou became a woman of influence in the literary on stage, providing insights and experiences into life without the aid of a man.
In an interview with Oprah Winfrey, Angelou admitted that she was in love a few times, though she was never “in love enough to marry”. Her words become more telling when she recalled a quote she had encountered before. The quote said “Women who were not perfect became attractive when they recognized their own imperfections – ‘and still they’re lovable.'”.
This quote explains a great deal Angelou’s perspective of marriage. She accepted the fact that she wasn’t perfect and did not feel the need to look for a man to make that “perfection.” Because of her powerful desire to promote female feminism, Angelou stood her ground and devoted her time and energy to establish a bigger following and authority.
Angelou’s inspirational works and presence played an immense role in the reform of women’s rights movements. This she accomplished in part by staying out of the norm, such as never marrying and making sure her life of woman-empowerment was clear. Her focus enabled her to reach to planes of success she had yet to experience.
The Legacy of Maya Angelou
As said before, Maya Angelou never married in her lifetime. She flourished by reaching the highest levels in artistic and vocal pursuits. She left behind a significant legacy in American culture and history, becoming a seminal figure in the realm of literature, performing arts, and political activism.
The contributions of her works and endeavors had a major impact on African-American literature, as well as impacted a wide range of other causes from gender and racial equality to anti-discrimination, anti-apartheid, anti-war, and civil rights among many other issues.
The spirit and essence of Maya Angelou is indelibly intertwined within the public narrative and collective memory of the U.S. and other countries around the world.Angelou also earned several awards and recognitions in her lifetime, such as the NAACP’s Lifetime Achievement Award, nomination for a Pulitzer Prize, and the Presidential Medal of Freedom.
Today, Maya Angelou’s legacy lives on with her words and works still inspiring change. Her close friend and editor, Oprah Winfrey, was quoted saying “People do not want to just hear your words, they want to feel your words” – an insight that captures the appeal of Angelou’s work.
Contemporaries and Fan Reception
Maya Angelou didn’t just limit her influence to her work. In her lifetime, she was surrounded and even befriended some of the 20th century’s greatest figures and minds. She was seen with fellow poets and artists, such as James Baldwin and Toni Morrison; with political figures from Fidel Castro to Nelson Mandela; and even with Presidents such as Obama, Carter, Nixon and Clinton.
Angelou also received an abundance of congratulatory messages and admirations from fans and award shows alike. Many wrote to Angelou to express their appreciation for her work and admiration for her words, often seen as healing and inspiring.
Angelou was so influential that not just celebrities, but athletes and people from many walks of life flocked to her. She was featured in magazine covers, interviews and a variety of commercials, most recently voice acting a character on the animated children’s show “Doc McStuffins.”
It was performance of Angelou’s pieces and words that seemed to reach many. Her pieces gained more and more recognition leading to events like the National Poetry Slam, where her pieces were even judged with approval.
Philanthropy and Awards
Maya Angelou was one of the most decorated and awarded figures in American culture. From an honorary National Book Award and an Emmy Award, as well as a Grammy Award for Best Spoken Word Album in 1994 for her work “On the Pulse of Morning,” Angelou was no stranger to the stage.
Many organizations and media outlets presented Angelou with recognitions ranging from magazines such as Vogue, Vanity Fair, and Time, to universities such as Harvard, Oxford, and Duke. Angelou was awarded several honorary art degrees from a variety of institutions, together with lifetime achievement awards from the media, such as ABC, as well as for charities such as The Salvation Army.
Angelou also provided substantial help when it came to philanthropy. She aided in cancer and HIV/AIDS research, as well as fundraised for schools and scholarships. Angelou had her own charity foundation, based in Winston-Salem, North Carolina in 1995.
The Maya Angelou Foundation had a major focus on helping the culture and literature of African Americans. It also offered scholarships for African American poets and novels, as well as staging special events which presented the words and works of African American poets. Angelou used her influence to bettter the lives of her culture, by donating a portion of the profits from her books to various charities, as well as giving speeches featuring autobiographical stories.
Visibility and Feminism
Maya Angelou was a fitting combination of a performer as much as an activist. In combining the two, she encouraged people to consider a broader view of feminism.
Angelou’s visibility was a major statement in the empowerment of African American women. From her performing the role of a civil rights activist in the 1960s to being seen in TV shows such as “Touched by an Angel”, Angelou was a constant presence in the promotion of female rights. She was also a trailblazer for being an African-American woman at a time when such accomplishments were a rarity.
Angelou also encouraged women to embrace a wide range of roles. She believed in the multifaceted roles of daughter, mother, lover, writer, and artist. This she maintained by educating women on what it meant to be an individual. Angelou wrote of “exploring life without bounds” without a man. She lived this from her younger years, to her prime and her death.
Angelou’s unique voice and her book “I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings” spoke to generations of African women as they could relate to her struggles. She was a strong role model in that sense, having opened up topics such as feminism and spoken at events in support of women in many countries.
Angelou emphasized the need for conversations within relationships. She advocated for total transparency, where words were never left unsaid. This was her way of advocating for the need of women to be heard and trusted. Angelou’s concerns highlighted the need for women to be interconnected and appreciated, especially in regards to African-American women.
