Maya Angelou’s family was a remarkable one. She was born Marguerite Johnson in St. Louis, but proudly drew from both the African-American and the Cherokee-Lumbee Indian sides of her heritage. From a young age, her family encouraged her to speak her mind and voiced respect for her as an individual. Angelou’s father, Bailey Johnson, Sr., was a sailor and struggled to support the family with meager wages, but he frequently encouraged his children’s inquisitive minds.
In order to survive during the Great Depression, the whole family had to rely on his mother’s resourcefulness. Annie Henderson was a dedicated housekeeper who took in laundry and ran a home business that allowed Marguerite—as Maya Angelou was then called—to experience a more cultured lifestyle. She welcomed luminaries such as W. E. B. Du Bois, Billie Holiday, and Paul Robeson into her home.
Angelou’s grandmother, Margaret, was another influence on her life. Despite being single, she raised eight children and became somewhat of an activist as she helped to register African-Americans for elections in Stamps, Arkansas. And when Angelou was sent to live with her grandmother out of fear for her safety after her mother’s husband died, her new guardian inspired her to appreciate her worth and utilize her talents.
River Charles, her maternal grandfather, was the one who initially bought Maya Angelou her first book and taught her the power of words. He was a veteran who owned his own store and became another one of Angelou’s mentors and sources of inspiration in her life.
Though her family’s dynamics could be described as tumultuous, it provided Angelou with the strong foundation and grounding she needed to become a groundbreaking poet and scholar of the African-American experience. She spoke frequently about the importance of family and the pride for her heritage and of her beloved parents, grandparents, and siblings.
For fifty seven years, Angelou was married to Mr. Paul Reynolds, an Australian carpenter, and entrepreneur. Together, they created many happy memories and Mr. Reynolds served as a source of support, love, and shared Angelou’s deep commitment to activism. Angelou also took her marriage name of Angelou to honor her first husband Mr. Tosh Angelos, a Greek sailor she married at the age of sixteen.
Angelou also had two children, Guy Johnson and Clyde Franklin, who she opened up to be strong and self-reliant individuals. From a young age, she emphasized the value of education, while at the same time, they encouraged their children to be independent and confident.
Connections to Family Members
Angelou’s family was an integral part of her life and she was frequently inspired by the contributions of her ancestors. In particular, she was reminded of her maternal grandmother, who helped to register African-Americans for elections in Stamps, Arkansas, as a source of inspiration. This sentiment resonated with her even after her grandmother’s passing, as Angelou gathered great strength from thinking of her grandmother.
Angelou was also inspired by the devotion of her mother towards her children. She was able to strategize in order to support the family financially, while at the same time continuing to nurture her children’s creative and inquisitive minds. Angelou’s respect for her mother helped her to better understand and appreciate the importance of love and support within the family.
The sailor, Bailey Johnson, Sr. was a source of pride and love in Angelou’s life. She believed that he was a source of strength and courage and that his embodiment of perseverance helped to shape her into the person she eventually became. Even when his wages were meager, he always spoke highly of his children and supported their individual interests.
River Charles, the maternal grandfather, was a mentor and a source of appreciation for the power of words. He bought Angelou her first book, and served as a teacher and counselor throughout her life. Angelou had unconditional love for her grandfather and admired him for the great life lessons that he shared from his years at sea.
Angelou was married two different times and cherished the heartfelt relationships she shared with her husbands. Mr. Paul Reynolds was her first husband and served as a source of love and support. Angelou’s first husband, Mr. Tosh Angelos, inspired her to take his surname and use it to honor his memory.
Effects of Family on Angelou’s Life
Though Angelou experienced a turbulent family life, there were many remarkable effects which had an eternal impact on her life. Through the encouragement and support of her family, Angelou was able to hone her inquisitive mind and explore her creative potential. The inspiring examples of her grandmother, mother, and grandfather provided Angelou with an admiration for hard work, a love for literature, and an appreciation for the power of words.
Angelou also had a deep appreciation for her spouses and was deeply affected by the unconditional love and support that they shared. Her husband, Mr. Reynolds provided a sense of security and a sense of comfort which helped Angelou to grow as a woman and a poet.
Angelou’s family also reinforced her pride and love for her African-American and Cherokee-Lumbee Indian heritage. This was expressed through aesthetic expressions such as literature, music, and the arts, which helped to empower the African-American community.
The relationships Angelou shared with her family members were meaningful and had an effect on her life which extended beyond her memories. Angelou’s family had a bearing on her success as a poet, scholar and human rights activist, as the strong example that they showed provided a foundation from which she was able to nurture her creativity and stretch her individual potential.
Connection to Heritage
As a child, Angelou was surrounded by powerful examples of African-American and Cherokee-Lumbee Indian heritage. From her maternal grandmother and her mother who both took part in political activities, to her grandfather’s stories about his many experiences at sea, the strong presence of her African-American heritage was a source of pride and inspiration.
Because of these influences, Angelou gained an appreciation for literature and the arts, which she spread to her own children. She appreciated the importance of storytelling and the power of words, which she began to recognize from an early age from the encouraging words of her grandfather.
The cultural and linguistic traditions of her family further supported her deepening love of language and nurtured her creativity and aptitude for storytelling. Through her upbringing, Angelou gained an appreciation for the history of her people and learned the importance of speaking up and fighting against inequality.
The strong legacy of her family, combined with the appreciation for her African-American and Cherokee-Lumbee Indian heritage, ultimately served as a major source of strength and motivation throughout Angelou’s life and career.
Influence of Family on Angelou’s Works
Throughout Maya Angelou’s influential works, the contributions of her family members were frequently seen. Even though some of her relationships were fraught and conflict-ridden, she was deeply attached to her family and she frequently sought comfort and security from the support that her family members provided her.
The crucial part of her family life was often displayed in her works. Love and pain from familial relationships were usually present in her works, something which Angelou made sure to express through her literature. Her relationships with her grandmother, mother, grandfather, and spouses were also featured heavily in her writings as sources of inspiration for her.
From her grandmother’s activism, to her grandfather’s appreciation for words, to her mother’s strategies for providing for her children during the Great Depression, Angelou drew from her relationships with her family members in order to write her works. She was able to honor her family members through the craft of storytelling and immortalize them in the famous works she created.
Realization of Self-Worth Through Family
Throughout her life, Angelou often sought validation and reassurance of her self-worth. She drew upon the unconditional love of her family members in order to gain comfort in her identity. Their sacrifice to provide her with an education helped her to develop a sense of empowerment which served as a source of strength.
Angelou’s family was also an advocate for her potential and extended opportunities for her to explore her individual talents. With their encouragement, Angelou was able to establish herself as a poet, scholar, and civil rights activist despite the obstacles she faced. The continued love and support of her family enabled Angelou to look beyond her circumstances and embrace her worth as a person.
Angelou often spoke about gratitude for her family, especially for the strong example of her heroic grandmother and grandfather. In the end, it was the unyielding support of her family that enabled Angelou to realize her true potential and build a legacy that would continue to be revered for years to come.
Perseverance Through Times of Uncertainty
Though Angelou’s family life was turbulent, her family taught her the importance of perseverence and resilience during times of uncertainty. Her father’s determination to provide for his family despite the lack of money was a source of comfort, while her mother’s creative strategies helped to keep Angelou safe. Angelou was further inspired by her grandmother’s political activism and her grandfather’s tales of his life at sea.
Angelou’s family also provided a source of reassurance during times when she felt overwhelmed by her circumstances. Their unconditional love, encouragement, and support enabled her to develop her potential and cultivate a strong sense of pride for her African-American and Cherokee-Lumbee Indian heritage.
Angelou also gained strength from her relationships with her spouses and children. Her children enabled her to look ahead towards the future and her husband, Mr. Reynolds, provided her with a sense of stability and a shared commitment to activism. Though Angelou experienced traumatic events in her life, she was able to persevere because of the strong support of her family.
