Maya Angelou, renowned poet and civil rights activist, had a son named Guy Johnson. Guy was born in 1957, the same year Angelou published her first autobiographical novel, I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings. Angelou never cared for motherhood, according to her 1993 autobiography, All God’s Children Need Traveling Shoes, and is said to have had a tumultuous relationship with her son. While growing up, Guy was initially raised, along with his older brother, by his paternal grandmother in Stamps, Arkansas while Angelou pursued her career in New York and Europe.
When Guy was a toddler, Maya Angelou moved to Hawaii to care for him after a brief stint in Cairo; she felt Guy needed a mother’s guidance and unconditional love. In Hawaii, Angelou homeschooled Guy and made a living by writing books and her plays that she toured around the world. Ultimately, though, Guy’s lack of opportunity for upward mobility, due to racial discrimination and limited financial resources, alongside Angelou’s continual absence, took a heavy toll on her relationship with her son.
The final years of Angelou’s and Guy’s relationship, however, were ones of reconciliation. In her autobiography, Angelou wrote with fondness and admiration of her son’s loyalty and drive. Guy, who was an art professor at Eastern Kentucky University, also followed in his mother’s footsteps; he wrote books and plays, taught literature and performed stand-up comedy. When Guy and his mother reconciled, he provided a different version of their relationship to The New York Times which differed from Angelou’s account in her autobiography. In Guy’s account, he was not treated as a child but was always consulted as an adult.
After Guy reconciled with his mother, he moved to Winston-Salem, North Carolina, where Angelou resided. As seen in a picture taken of them in November 2013, Guy held his mother’s hand in a very tender, yet proud, fashion. Shortly before Angelou’s death on May 28, 2014, Guy helped her celebrate her thirty-second appearances at the NFL Draft and deliver her famous “Still I Rise” speech.
Guy, who until his mother’s passing was the only living immediate relative of Maya Angelou, is apparently not interested in writing a biography of her life, though there is much speculation that he might. Instead, he continues to pursue his dreams and ambitions, just as his mother did, writing books, plays and music, while teaching and performing around the world.
Guy’s Relationship with his Father
Guy Johnson had a complicated relationship with his father, Lee Beard, who was from New York. When Guy was born, his father left St. Louis for New York, never to return. Until her passing, Angelou refused to give Guy any information about his father.
When Guy was a young adult in the ’70s, he traveled to New York to meet his father and seek answers. While they got along well, they had vastly different values and interests which made their relationship turbulent. Beard was an academic who loved jazz and believed in capitalism, while his son was an artist who was a pacifist and followed his mother’s progressive views on race and politics. Guy was said to be more interested in understanding his father’s place in history.
Lee Beard eventually settled himself in North Carolina, not far from Angelou. He kept up a regular correspondence with Guy after he moved to North Carolina, and the two often visited Angelou together. Guy’s own relationship with his mother continued to stay strong despite the father’s presence. Beard passed away in 2010 and Guy Jackson mourned his death, missing him.
Guy and Angelou’s Relationship After Guy Reached Adulthood
Once Guy Jackson reached adulthood, his relationship with his mother changed considerably. He still looked to her as a source of wisdom and support but they had grown closer. From 1987 to 1994, they traveled around the country performing her poems and plays and there was a bond of comfort and understanding between them. Eventually Guy left the US to teach and direct plays in Thailand, Australia and Saudi Arabia. He came to see himself both in his mother and as separate from her.
In 2011, Guy returned to the US and was able to stay in contact with his mother more often. He moved to North Carolina and the two went on numerous trips and shopping excursions together. Guy was also able to introduce his mother to his two sons, and two daughters, ranging from 14 to 19 years of age. The family spent time together getting to know each other and growing closer. Angelou was able to share her joys and love of literate with her grandchildren.
Guy shared, “My children began to understand grandmother Maya; she was a grandmother to them, a friend, and a companion.” By Guy’s own account, he and his mother had a wonderful relationship. He said he had nothing but love and admiration for her and they always stayed in contact. Guy had nothing but kind words to say about his mother and her influence on his life.
Guys Career and Contribution in the Arts
Following in his mother’s footsteps, Guy pursued a career in the arts. He wrote books and produced shows on stage and in televisions; he was an arts professor at Eastern Kentucky University, taught literature at Hobart and William Smith colleges, and directed both at the Theater of the Black Experience and Broadway, New York. He also wrote jazz and blues songs, while acting in plays and filming stories, He loved performing stand-up comedy and wrote the plays, “Unheard Music” and “The Last Security,” one of which was featured in the Hollywood 45 International Film and Arts Festival in 2016.
Guy has earned numerous awards and recognition for his work, including the Phi Beta Kappa Award and The John Howland Award in Playwriting. He was also selected to be a member of the Schomburg Fellowship, where he was a “visiting scholar” in 2008 and 2009. Additionally, Guy has toured four continents and several countries around the world, delivering his plays and poetry to audiences.
Guy Johnson was celebrated for his work in December 2019, at the 60th Anniversary of the National Black Arts Festival in Atlanta, Georgia. He was a featured speaker, and he honored his mother by debuting a spoken word production titled “Still I Rise.” The spoken word production celebrates African Americans’ resilience, narrates events from the civil rights movement, and celebrates his proud African-American heritage.
Philanthropic Contributions
Guy Johnson was an active philanthropist, just like his mother. He has given his time teaching literacy programs in underprivileged neighborhoods and communities, lecturing at high schools and colleges, while also donating parts of his earnings to charities.
Moreover, he strived to provide opportunities to disadvantaged family donors through his Kix Harold Fund. This fund helped feed and clothe homeless families, as well as providing financial support to families in need.
Furthermore, Guy Johnson was a renowned peace activist. He helped non-profits promote non-violent solutions, and he was an advocate for cultural reform in his hometown St. Louis. He also supported relief efforts during natural disasters; he provided aid to victims in Japan following their 2011 earthquake and tsunami, and to people affected by Hurricane Katrina in 2005.
Throughout his life, Guy Johnson also served as a mentor to young black men, helping to motivate and empower them to reach their potentials. He was also an advocate for social justice and an advocate for the power of storytelling, using his experience and knowledge to teach lessons about respect, resilience and understanding.
Legacy
Guy Johnson, now 62, has built on his mother’s legacy, championing civil rights, social justice and the power of storytelling. He has strived to share his mother’s message and life story, advocating respect, resilience and understanding. He has shared some of her life story with several of his works, including a play called “Still I Rise.”
Through his work in theatres and universities, he has been instrumental in sharing his mother’s life’s story to a new generation. He has used his experience to mentor and empower young people, helping to create a more equitable world; from arts and poetry to providing support and resources to those in need.
Though he mourned his mother’s passing, Guy Johnson has taken Maya Angelou’s words to heart and has devoted his life to living them. As he said, “My mother’s life meant something, and I wanted people to keep honoring her and not just in words.” Guy Johnson’s life reflects his mother in spirit, passion, and ambition.
