Maya Angelou is a profoundly influential poet and author widely known for her raw, unrefined writing. She is often revered as one of the finest and most prolific poets of the 20th century, celebrated for both her strength and her courage. Angelou was an American poet, author, playwright and civil activist and is widely considered a cultural icon and her legacy is firmly planted in the annals of modern day literature.
Angelou received many accolades for her writing, including three Grammys for spoken word recordings. In 2010, President Barack Obama honored her with the Presidential Medal of Freedom, America’s highest civilian honour. Her enduring work continues to be studied in schools from elementary school to college settings.
In her writings, Angelou blends together memoir, autobiography, nonfiction and fiction.One of the primary themes of her writing is understanding and embracing the power of language.Often her works tell stories of racism and injustice. Angelou embraced her womanhood and feminist ideals, including writing fiercely about race, gender and identity.Her exceptional lyrical style and keen instinct of combining the sacred and profane truly mark the famous poet as a modern day legend.
Angelou’s acclaimed collection of poems, I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings, still remains popular today.Her work mainly focuses on her life truthfully recounting her struggles and hardships, as well as her tougher moments of achievement and joy. This remarkable piece of writing has become compulsory reading for many universities and colleges.
Angelou was an artist whose medium of expression was words, rather than paint, music or sculpture.Many of her works explore feminist topics and evoke her political beliefs, artfully describing her life experiences in a creative way.Her work succeeds in the way melodic lines of metaphor and imagery that touch the heart, inspiring others to reach higher, aspire to do more, and find courage and strength in her work.
Angelou’s work remains important today, especially to the lives of those who have experienced discrimination or have struggled with identity issues.Her writing have truly become the voice of the voiceless, standing for justice and equality for all.The legacy of Maya Angelou will continue to remain important in the years to come.
Early life and Education
Born Marguerite Annie Johnson on April 4th, 1928, in St. Louis, Missouri, Maya Angelou would grow up in an environment filled with poverty, racism, and segregation.After Angelou’s parents divorced, she and her brother were sent to live with their grandmother in Stamps, Arkansas. This would prove to be a life-Changing experience for the young Angelou, introducing her to the strong spirituality, hard work, and a sense of identity that would shape her into the powerhouse poet and author she would become.
Angelou had a passion for writing and later in life wrote that she learned to read as a young girl. By the age of 14, she was already a mother and had to face the reality of being a single parent.During this time, Angelou continued to develop her writing and furthered her education, which she had started in San Francisco at George Washington High School. In 1951, she graduated from Californian Labor School, where she majored in drama and dance and she enrolled at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music.
Angelou quickly embraced a variety of different career activities, including becoming a madam for a bordello. During this time, Angelou was also accepted into San Francisco State College and graduated with a bachelor’s degree in 1964, later earning a lifetime career achievement award for her important contributions to literature, drama and film.
Early Work and Writing
Angelou began her career as a songwriter and dancer, during which she was mentored by the legendary artist – Joe Lou Willy, who further taught her the basics of poetic structure. This and a desire to escape her social, economic and personal struggles drove her to become an artist. Her debut collection “Just Give Me a Cool Drink of Water ‘Fore I Die” was published in 1971, but it was her second book, “I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings” that earned her international acclaim.
The 1970s marked a time of growth and exploration for Angelou as she re-discovered her love of writing. She wrote a live performance show, turned it into a screenplay and gained a role in the film “Georgia, Georgia.” Angelou narrates “17, A Jazz/Poem Koncert,” which showcases her own blend of music and spoken-word poetry. Angelou would even tour Egypt and Ghana, where she studied the use of ancient African oral tradition, soaking in the knowledge and culture around her.
Angelou’s popularity soared throughout the 90s, during which she wrote and produced her play, “And Still I Rise” and established Angelou’s Literary Arts college. She was also the first African American Female US Poet Laureate, profiling (in 1995) on the “Nightline” news show, as well as becoming one of the first African American female actor/directors of a major film with her movie “Down in the Delta.”
Influence and recognition
Maya Angelou realized that her words had the power to influence people. Throughout her career, she was appointed to several distinguished organizations and honorary roles, such as the Presidential Medal of Freedom and the Lincoln Medal.In 2008, “A Brave and Startling Truth,” a poem written by Angelou, was celebrated by the United Nations in their 60th anniversary. Additionally, she won numerous awards for her body of work, including the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the National Medal of Arts, three Grammys for spoken word and four NAACP Image Awards.
Angelou’s success as an artist extended beyond herself, The “Maya Angelou Language Arts and Literature Festival” launched in 2016 in Arkansas, with companies and organizations like Samsung helping make it a reality.In addition, multiple elementary schools around the country have named their schools after Angelou.
Downloadable Work
Angelou’s reach extended to mainstream media even after her passing in 2014, with Netflix, Apple TV and Amazon creating projects influenced by her life or writing.Through digital platforms like Auraluxe, fans of Angelou could also listen to her Audio-Books in multiple languages while certain works of Angelou’s writing could be downloaded from websites such as Google Books.
Several crowdfunding campaigns have also been created to support projects around Angelou.The Maya Angelou Documentary Project, for example, was launched as a call for filmmakers to tell her story.Angelou also created the Maya Angelou Foundation in 1993 as a call to action for other African-Americans, a movement against poverty, prejudice and injustice.
Reading Appreaciation
Angelou’s work provided inspiration to millions of fans, both young and old. It was her work that allowed her a platform on which to speak eloquently, shedding light on the inequities of life while providing hope in a world where despair is often present. Through her work, Angelou taught us to be strong, brave, and courageous despite the struggles life may bring.
Angelou also challenged us to go beyond our own comfort zones and to continually search for the deeper meaning behind life’s joys and pains.Her prose, poetry and speeches were celebrated for their lyrical beauty, their resilience and their soulful depth. Angelou’s words were a constant reminder that triumph over obstacles is indeed possible.
Over the course of her magnificent career, Angelou taught us that our voice can be an instrument of elevation and change, showing how simply speaking up can bring about real and tangible results.By being a living example of being unafraid to challenge the status quo and speak on behalf of those who cannot, Angelou silenced any who dared to say that the art of writing had been lost.
