Maya Angelou is a celebrated American author and poet best-known for her 1969 memoir, ‘I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings’. But did she get married? The answer is both yes and no. Though Angelou was indeed married three times and was engaged in at least three other perhaps-ill-fated relationships, her marriages were short-lived and never legally finalized. For instance, she was married to Greek electrician Tosh Angelos from 1951 to 1954 but the marriage was never recorded.
Some sources indicate Angelou’s first marriage was to Guy Johnson, the nephew of civil rights activist and author, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. However, other sources indicate that Johnson and Angelou never officially married. Similarly, she was married to Enistasious Tosh Angelos, a Greek electrician, in 1951. This marriage also lasted only three years and did not result in a legal entity.
Angelou’s third and final union was to Paul du Feu, a carpenter whom she married in the late 70s. Angelou has also been subject to rumors concerning relationships with civil rights leader Malcolm X and the late ‘King of Pop’, Michael Jackson. However, as of now, Angelou has maintained that these were merely friendships.
Though Angelou did tie the knot with three different men and endured a fourth public engagement, there is no record of any of these unions- and it is likely that several of them lasted less than a year. Despite her turbulent romances, she remained passionate about human rights and is celebrated globally for her unwavering social commentary and artistic expression.
History of Maya Angelou’s Marriages
Maya Angelou’s first marriage was to an unknown man in the early 50s. This union was not legally recognized in any documents, however some sources have speculated that the unidentified person was Guy Johnson, the nephew of civil rights leader Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
Angelou’s second marriage was to Enistasious (Tosh) Angelos, an electrician from Greece. This marriage did not stand the test of time, and Angelou and Angelos divorced merely a few years later in 1954. Not long afterwards, Angelou was engaged to dentologist Modian Fiffe – but their engagement ended abruptly before the two had the chance to get married.
Finally, Angelou married Paul du Feu, an English carpenter in the late 70s. Though this relationship was more stable than her previous marriages, du Feu (or more accurately, du Feu’s daughters) was not too pleased with Angelou’s lifestyle and interests, and their marriage ended with a legal separation in 1981.
Throughout the years, Angelou has refused to discuss her personal life and instead focused her energy on her literary career. Despite her turbulent relationships, she continues to be a celebrated poet, writer and public figure.
Characteristics of Maya Angelou’s Marriages
Though Maya Angelou has been married three times throughout her life, her relationships never resulted in legally binding unions. Instead, these marriages were mostly short-lived and should not be considered normal. As such, it could be said that Angelou has been married, but never in a traditional sense.
Angelou never seemed to find her true match and instead was known for its tumultuous relationships, fluctuating engagements and divorces. Despite being proposed to and having multiple partners during her lifetime, Angelou seemed to remain unmarried out of her own volition.
Though many have tried to dig into Angelou’s personal life, she remains fiercely private and has committed her life to her art and advocacy. In sum, Angelou was indeed married multiple times in her life, but none of these unions ever led to a legally finalized marriage.
Motivation For Unconventional Marriages
Maya Angelou is seemingly an independent and unshakable woman who seemed to reject the traditional expectations of marriage. There are reports of her husbands accepting of her sexuality and her individual perspective on love.
Arguably, Angelou was married for companionship, however, she never seemed to prioritize nuptials- such as finding someone to wed only to fit in or convince her family or peers of her obligations. As such, this may have been a primary motivation behind why she never attained a legally-binding marriage.
Though Angelou may have had an unconventional approach to relationships and marriage, her career and accomplishments speak volumes of her character and purpose in life- without compromising her values, beliefs or identity. Consequently, this may take precedence over finding a lifelong match.
Critical Reception of Maya Angelou’s Marriages
Despite Maya Angelou’s three marriages, most sources have focused on other aspects of her life, such as her intriguing career and lingering influence in the public sphere. Moreover, as Angelou has never been publicly vocal about her marital life, critical reception to her marriages has been limited- particularly with regards to her most recent partners.
In 2003, Angelou was engaged to Paul du Feu, whom Angelou had referred to as her “fiancé” throughout the 90s. Du Feu’s two daughters, however, did not approve of Angelou and their union ended in a public spat when Angelou criticized one of her partner’s daughters for revealing their relationship to the public.
Despite her marriages, official acknowledgment of them is limited as no legal structures have been drawn. Consequently, critical reception on Angelou’s marriages is limited. Instead, she is celebrated for being a luminary in black culture and a celebrated social commentator.
Private Nature of Maya Angelou’s Marriages
Maya Angelou was a private person and her marital life reflected her this trait. Her approach towards relationships was opposed to societies’ expectations, which likely resulted in the termination of her marriages. Reports and rumours of her relationships with civil rights leader Malcolm X and Michael Jackson were also publicised, though Angelou has denied that there was ever a physical relationship.
Oddly, though Angelou’s marriages were never legally finalized, she often referred to her late husband, Paul du Feu, as her ‘fiancé’. This led to speculation about the nature of their relationship and why their union was terminated.
Though Angelou’s private life has been subject to some speculation, Angelou has maintained that a woman of value is more than the men she dates or marries. As such, she chose to focus her attention on her career instead, without any announcement of her marriages or romances.
Potential Reasons Why Maya Angelou Never Legally Formalized Her Marriages
Many have questioned why Maya Angelou never legally finalized any of her marriages. Despite numerous engagements and proposed unions, it could be argued that Angelou was never willing to fall truly in love with any of her partners.
In the end, Angelou may have never fulfilled her marital duties due to her commitment to her advocacy. Angelou always prioritized her identity and her value to herself and society undeniably overshadowed any feelings of obligation or fulfillment from a relationship.
It could be said that Angelou wanted her life to remain her own, free of obligations to any one partner or her extended family. Though love was an undoubtedly important element of her life, Angelou likely found solace and comfort in her artistic expression and social commentary.
Perhaps Angelou felt that officially becoming a wife would impede her freedom and impede her serious focus on her educational and professional development- isolating her from the traditional expectations of a married woman.
