Maya Angelou was an acclaimed American poet, writer, and civil rights activist. She was a prolific writer, and her literary works have inspired generations of people around the world. But how did Maya Angelou start writing?
It all began when Maya was a child growing up in Stamps, Arkansas. As a young girl, Maya experienced great hardship and struggle, including the death of her father and the racial discrimination she faced. Despite this, her family encouraged her to write and share her stories. Her love of reading, writing, and playing with words began to develop, and her grandfather commonly referred to her as “Mary Poppins”.
During her teens and twenties, Angelou traveled a great deal, living in California and Africa. She eventually settled in San Francisco and became heavily involved in the Civil Rights Movement and political activist. At this time, Angelou continued to write and express her thoughts by composing, poetry and even a brief; autobiography.It is her writing about her own life experiences that enabled her to hone her writing skills, which was reflected in her later works.
Angelou’s first major work, “I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings,” was published in 1969 and is hailed by many as an autobiographical classic. Inspired mainly by her own life experiences of slavery, race, gender, and family structure, this book gained international attention and brought great recognition to Angelou. Her writing landscape continued to grow from there, and she wrote many more poems and books throughout her lifetime, including a total of eight books of her autobiography.
Over the years, Angelou developed her own unique writing style, which was distinguished by spoken word influence, lyrical language, and a range of vivid imagery. With her powerful voice and gripping words, she has been able to capture her lived experiences in beautiful, socially conscious writings that serve as an inspiration to us all.
Aerosol Art
Angelou was not just a writer, but an artist as well. During her time in California, she became heavily involved with the Aerosol Art movement. She spent time expressing her creativity through spray paint and graffiti art, tagging walls with works that featured messages of political and social justice. As she was developing her writing style, she was also developing her own artistic style and creating powerful visuals that resonate to this day.
Through her aerosol art, Angelou gained a greater understanding of the power of words to create an impact and deliver meaningful messages. She was able to challenge expectations, share her opinions, and inspire many people with her art. She was even featured alongside other aerosol artists in a prominent exhibition in California.
Literary Influences
Though Angelou had developed her own writing style by the time she wrote her first book, she was highly influenced by several authors and poets who inspired her life and work. She was a voracious reader, and read authors such as Arthur Rimbaud, Langston Hughes, and Zora Neale Hurston. These authors had a profound effect on Angelou’s writing, and she was able to draw from the knowledgeable perspective of these authors to create her own works.
Angelou also was greatly inspired by her time living in Ghana. During her stay in the African nation, she was exposed to several African cultures, beliefs, and languages. This experience allowed her to expand her worldviews and gain a deeper understanding of society. She often referred to herself as an “Afrocentric feminist” and her thoughts, ideas, and writing were strongly influenced by her African experience.
Finally, Angelou was a passionate believer in the power of spoken word poetry to influence change, and she often quoted poets such as Shakespeare and Auden in her works. She looked to their poetry as a source of inspiration and sought to emulate their powerful impact on society. Her writing was a combination of both her own original thoughts and the words of the authors who inspired her.
Genre-Defying Works
Maya Angelou was a truly versatile writer, and she wrote across numerous genres. In addition to writing a series of highly-acclaimed and critically-acclaimed autobiographies, she also wrote scripts for television and film, music lyrics and plays, magazine articles and books, and even a cookbook!
Angelou wrote a special type of poetry known as the “verse novel”, which blended the literary and poetic styles of poetry with the storytelling and narrative styles of stories. This unique genre allowed her to further explore her own thoughts and experiences and share them in a meaningful way. Angelou is credited with creating this distinct genre of writing, and other poets and authors were able to draw from her work and develop the genre further.
Later in her career, Angelou also wrote children’s books, including two Christmas books and six books of poetry for young readers. Through these books, she was able to reach an even broader audience and touch the hearts of young readers, who were able to relate to her thoughts, experiences, and writing.
Critical Acclaim
Angelou’s work has been met with immense critical acclaim from the literary community. She was the first African American woman to have her writing featured in a prestigious literary journal, and she was also chosen as one of the best writers of the 20th century by the Modern Library. She won a Grammy Award for her audio book recording of her poem, “On the Pulse of Morning,” and was awarded the Presidential Medal of Arts and the Lincoln Medal, among numerous other honorary awards. Her words continue to be celebrated today and will continue to do so into the future.
Speeches and Lectures
On top of her writing, Angelou was also a beloved public speaker. She often spoke and lectured at universities, sharing her powerful words with students and leaving a lasting impression on the next generation of thinkers. She even delivered the famous “On the Pulse of Morning” poem at the 1993 inauguration of President Bill Clinton and was awarded a prestigious National Medal of Arts in 2000.
In her speeches and lectures, Angelou stressed themes of strength and perseverance, encouraging others to find their own voices and use them in the pursuit of justice and truth. Her talks often focused on her life experiences and the power of words, and her words still resonate with people today. She was a powerful voice for many and an inspiration to us all.
Legacy
Maya Angelou is one of the most renowned poets and civil rights activists in American history. Through her writing, art, and speeches, she has left an indelible mark on our collective cultural consciousness. She was an incredible storyteller, connecting her words and experiences to each of us in a meaningful way. Her works aim to inspire, challenge stereotypes, and bring a sense of understanding and beauty to the world.
Maya Angelou has impacted generations of people throughout her lifetime and her works will continue to be celebrated for years to come. She believed in the power of words to bring about meaningful change and to create a more just society. Her books, poems, and speeches continue to serve as a beacon of hope, strength, and resilience.
