Maya Angelou (April 4, 1928–May 28, 2014) was an American poet, memoirist, and civil rights activist. She was born Marguerite Annie Johnson in St. Louis, Missouri, to Bailey Johnson, a doorman, and Vivian Johnson, a nurse and caretaker. Angelou came from a modest background, but was given a distinctively solid upbringing by her parents and grandmother, whom she affectionately referred to as “Momma.”
At the age of three, Angelou and her brother were sent to Stamps, Arkansas to live with their grandmother, Annie Henderson, where they were encouraged to read, and entertained by their uncle’s corn pone humor and stories from the Bible. Angelou loved the sense of security and protection her grandmother gave her and her brother. At the age of eight, Angelou and her brother were brought back to their mother’s house in St. Louis, only to encounter tragic circumstances – Angelou was sexually abused by her mother’s boyfriend, at which point she chose to remain silent for five years.
Angelou eventually became a San Francisco streetcar conductor, and made it her mission to observe and ‘listen’ to the life stories of many San Franciscans. Then, through the assistance of the incomparable writer James Baldwin and the inspirations drawn from her deep connection with her grandmother, Angelou found her true calling as a writer, at which point she famously proclaimed: “I was going to be a poet – if I could. I didn’t know anybody who was a poet”.
Maya Angelou became a published author in 1969 with her autobiography, I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings, which details her difficult, yet colorful upbringing. Following the tremendous success of her autobiography, Angelou became a widely sought after poet and playwright. Her success earned her dozens of awards and honorary degrees, including the Pulitzer Prize nomination for her collection of poems Just Give Me A Cool Drink of Water ‘Fore I Diiie (1971).
Throughout her life, Angelou wrote six autobiographies and seven collections of poetry, all of which deal with her struggles with identity, women’s issues, racism, and family relationships. Her best-loved works include I Shall Not Be Moved (1990), which consists of poems that reflect a personal and social struggle with oppression and injustice.
Achievements and Legacy
Maya Angelou was an accepted member of the Black Arts Movement and made contributions to both education and civil rights movements. As an inspirational figure, she joined the All-Women’s College based in Atlanta, Georgia, and also had a strong connection with Coretta Scott King and the important mission of The Martin Luther King Jr. Center for Nonviolent Social Change.
Angelou’s life was a source of inspiration for those who did not expect women of color to achieve great success and fame in the arts. She was made a lifetime Reynolds Professor of American Studies at Wake Forest University and, among other awards, was honored with the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2011.
As a profoundly inspired poet and playwright, Angelou was an iconic figure in American literature and culture. Her vast body of work and performances, her active involvement within the civil rights movement and her unwavering devotion to advocating change within the status quo has left an indelible mark around the world.
Key Works
Angelou was a remarkable author and poet whose writings have been called fiery, lush and startling. Her acclaimed works include I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings, just Give Me a Cool Drink of Water ‘Fore I Diiie, Wouldn’t Take Nothing for My Journey Now, and Letters to My Daughter (2008).
In I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings, Angelou depicts the inner turmoil she experienced during her troubled childhood. The poem “On the Pulse of the Morning,” read by Angelou at President Bill Clinton’s first presidential inauguration in 1993, is considered to be her most significant work. This poem speaks of hope, celebration, and compassion.
Just Give Me a Cool Drink of Water ‘Fore I Diiie (1971) earned her the Pulitzer Prize nomination. The composition is composed of 33 poems on topics ranging from war, racism, and feminism to faith, hope, and love.
Letters to My Daughter (2008) is a collection of letters to her daughter, in which she addresses a range of topics such as love, character-building, self-esteem, and guidance. In it, she draws upon her own experiences to share her wisdom with her daughter.
Social Justice
Maya Angelou was a powerful advocate for social justice, a role she inherited from her upbringing. In the 1970s, she was a leader of the Black Unity Movement and a public speaker for the Black Panther Party. An ardent supporter of militant nonviolence, Angelou shared Malcolm X’s beliefs about the importance of knowledge as a form of power and pride in black culture and history. As a civil rights activist, she was active in events such as the 1972 Bus Boycott in Los Angeles and campaigns for racial equality.
She also opposed the Vietnam War, sexual violence and materialism, and wrote several books and poems addressing these issues. Angelou called for global peacefulness and equal rights for all. She believed that we all should strive to exist in a world that recognizes differences but embraces everyone with “unity and harmony.”
In 2014, Angelou was appointed as the inaugural Reynolds Professor of American Studies at Wake Forest University. In this capacity, she lectured students on a variety of topics, including civil rights, race, identity, violence, and poverty. Angelou was also the producer, writer, and the star of the documentary Variety: All Together Now: A Celebration of Diversity. The documentary centers on Angelou’s mission to foster a sense of unity and understanding throughout the world.
A Voice for the Disenfranchised
As both an artist and a civil rights activist, Angelou was an advocate for the dispossessed and voiceless. Highlighting stories of female empowerment, her writings and lectures endow strength, hope and courage to individuals struggling with oppression and injustice.
Angelou’s lifelong effort to provide guidance and support to those who suffer from poverty, abuse, and racism made her an unyielding trail-blazer in the literary world. Her efforts to challenge perception and provoke thought, as well as her enduring strength and courage, will continue to inspire generations of people throughout the world.
Angelou was a great humanist who was driven by her deep belief in the power of compassion, justice, and equality. She was also a committed wife, mother, grandmother, and teacher whose incomparable communications and teachings left a lasting and powerful legacy.
