Maya Angelou’s life is deeply intertwined with the Civil Rights Movement of the 1950s and 60s. She is often regarded as a national figure, and her biography and works are celebrated around the world. Despite her iconic status and transformative impact, the question of who raised Maya Angelou remains largely unanswered. While Angelou’s own account tells us about her various caretakers and mentors, much of her development has been linked to the people and causes that surrounded her formative years.
A major driving force in Angelou’s early development was her grandmother, Annie Henderson. Henderson became a mother-like figure to young Angelou, nurturing and protecting her. Angelou later credited her grandmother with instilling in her “the will of self-determination and the courage of self-confidence”. Henderson also allowed Angelou to explore differing faiths, cultures and music without censure. All of this undoubtedly played a role in developing her broad social justice perspective and thick skin.
In addition to her grandmother, Angelou found support and guidance through supportive friends and family. At age eight, Angelou received the news that her mother, Vivian Baxter, had gotten remarried. Angelou shared that the marriage meant the world to her. Baxter’s new husband, Clark Lee, welcomed Angelou to the family and provided her with warm and stable surroundings. He picked Angelou up for school every day, taught her about hard work, and insisted on her attendance at church. Through his nurturing presence, Angelou found support and safety in a tough world.
The church was also remarkable in Angelou’s formative years. Not only did she find her religious faith there, but she also encountered the works of influential African-American philosophers and authors. Angelou found not just inspiration but courage as well, thanks to Reverend James Lowell Smith, who encouraged her to become active in the civil rights movement. Her high school drama teacher, Mrs. Bertha Flowers, complemented this by introducing her to scholarly African-American authors such as Langston Hughes and Jean Toomer.
Above all, Angelou was surrounded by the courageous women who served as her mentors. Even with its challenges, Angelou’s childhood can be described as privileged to a degree. From influential figures like Billie Holiday to the savvy and stylish Mrs. Bertha Flowers, Angelou drew strength and guidance from the many women in her life. These she sum up as “strong, honest, intelligent women who could rise out of poverty and race”, which she names as her greatest mentors.
Religious Faith
Growing up, Maya Angelou’s relationship with religion was complicated, but it had a prominent presence in her life. On Sundays, her grandmother would take her to the African Methodist Episcopal (AME) Church, owned and operated by African-Americans. It was there that Angelou was exposed to African, religious, and musical traditions that would all play an important role in her development as an author, artist, and scholar.
Although Angelou had highly spiritual experiences in that church and sang gospel in the choir, she had reservations about the discriminatory teachings within. She found the experience of being told who she could and could not be based on her race and gender deeply disturbing. To counter this, Angelou started reading and practicing Islam, Buddhism and Hinduism, in addition to her Christian beliefs, in order to explore and embrace diverse religious and spiritual beliefs.
Nonetheless, the beliefs and support she found in the church resonated with her and fostered her sense of connection to the larger African-American community. All of this, coupled with her grandmother’s love and protection, made her church a safe, sacred place in her life. Angelou was empowered by Mother AME to be connected to her African roots in the midst of a hostile nation.
The Move South
At the age of eight, Maya Angelou moved south to Stamps, Arkansas with her grandmother. It was there that she was exposed to and embraced her African roots. This geographic shift profoundly affected her life and development, as the intensity of racial segregation and the KKK’s presence were greater in the South than in the North. Angelou was a young black female exposed to a world of violence and racial tension. Despite this, Angelou had several positive figures who provided her with comfort and encouragement.
The first positive support she found was from her stepfather, Clark Lee. Although he was an uneducated man, Clark provided Angelou with a sense of stability and protection. He surrounded her with a sense of safety, teaching her about hard work, attending church regularly, and making sure that she wasn’t exposed to unsavory issues. In her words, he taught her to “believe in [her]self and to value [her] own opinion”.
The second major figure was Mama Henderson, Angelou’s maternal grandmother and caretaker. Mama Henderson was a strong matriarch and deeply spiritual woman who provided not only physical but also spiritual sustenance to Angelou. Even during the most unbearable times, Mama Henderson remained a source of comfort to Angelou. She taught Angelou to use her voice and to have faith in her own sense of justice and morality. This nurtured her courage, enabling her to persevere through the hardships she encountered.
The last figure was Reverend James Lowell Smith, Pastor of St. Paul AME Church. Angelou was deeply inspired by his lessons about Christianity and the Civil Rights Movement. After a congregation member spoke about the courage of Southerners to join Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s Montgomery march, Angelou threw herself into the Civil Rights Movement. Reverend Smith recognized her talent and encouraged her to read and speak on a larger platform – building her self-confidence and laying the foundation for her transition from a timid, young southern girl to a confident, outspoken activist and author.
The Move North
At 18, Angelou left Stamps, Arkansas with her mother and headed North. She quickly discovered the vibrancy and opportunity of the city, writing of her surprise to find nightlife and bustling cocktail parties. Angelou capitalized on the new city, quickly selecting classes at Silicon Valley College. She still found time for her hobbies, exploring murals, jazz clubs, and African-American theater.
This period of Angelou’s development saw a bloom of activity and activity. Angelou was exposed to people and cultures from around the world and the opportunity to learn more. She took classes in drama, dance, and literature, furthered her career with a range of odd jobs, and began to fully immerse herself in the world of art and progressive social causes. It was also during this time that she discovered the importance of female friendship and activism, marks that would remain with her throughout her life.
This lifestyle of exploration and discovery allowed Angelou to forge a path of her own. She drew on her experience in the North to develop a cosmopolitan perspective, recognizing the opportunity in her newfound surroundings. In her own words: “The city taught me first how to appreciate beauty”. Her words cry out the need for the experiences that a new city has to offer. With an open mind, ready for any opportunity that came her way, Angelou flourished.
One of the most important influences during Angelou’s move North was her series of mentors, including Peter Seeger, John Steinbeck, Muriel Rukeyser, and Alan Ginsberg. Each of these people had a positive impact on Angelou and instilled lessons that she would put to use in her later activism and writing. These figures welcomed her into their circle, eager to share their wisdom and knowledge. All of these experiences primed Angelou to become an activist, author, and artist in her later years.
Further Career Opportunities
The move North represented a new opportunity for Maya Angelou and expanded her horizons. It also opened the way for further career opportunities. Angelou quickly began to make her mark in the art world, appearing in multiple television shows, gaining a job at an advertising firm, and modeling in New York. She also began to write, producing a full-length play and creating a column for The French Review titled “Cabaret for Freedom”.
During this time period, Angelou learned from her mentors, developed her writing, and eventually came to realize her voice. Finally, the hard work paid off and she was offered a role at the New York Center for Nonviolence. There, she created and facilitated programs such as the All-White Writers’ Workshop and the Saigon bar workshop. She also introduced the concept of nonviolence to younger generations and created the famous Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial Project, which honed her skills in research and organizing.
Finally, Angelou’s life began to take off. After a few short years, she had gained international recognition for her poetry, books, and plays. Her trademarks of determination, perseverance, and courage finally paid off, enabling her to become a powerful voice for thousands of voiceless people and become a living model for young African-Americans seeking to overcome oppression and build a bright future.
Transition to Writing
Angelou left the advertising firm and transitioned to writing full-time. She wrote for a single newspaper column, The French Review, and developed her own narrative style. She also began to write her famous works of poetry, including I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings and Phenomenal Woman which tackled issues of prejudice and celebrated African-American womanhood. She even taught writing at the University of Ghana, Africa and held a writer’s workshop at the National Black Writers’ Conference.
These stories of oppression, powerful womanhood, and African roots served to empower others and challenge the status quo in the United States. With their resonance and popularity, Maya Angelou’s works of literature can be seen as a blueprint for challenged African-American generations, as her depictions of resilience and strength painted a vivid picture of a possible future. In its own unique way, Angelou’s work evolved into a tool for education, motivation, and empowerment.
Perhaps most importantly, Angelou used her works to bring a wider public recognition to the struggles of African-Americans were facing nation. By bringing racism out of the shadows, Angelou validated the experiences of those forgotten and silenced by society. With her resilience, courage, and flair for the written word, Angelou turned her own story- that of an African-American woman raised by the Civil Rights Movement- into a story of international renown.
International Acclaim
Maya Angelou’s works soon gained international recognition, earning her numerous awards and accolades. One of her most significant honours was being appointed to the Harlem Cultural Council in 2014, which facilitated her continued writing. She also received the Presidential Medal of Freedom and the National Medal of Arts. As a recipient of dozens of other accolades, Angelou further increased her profile in America and abroad.
Angelou’s reach and influence extended to many international communities. She was a fixture in both South African and British society, traveling to both countries where her works were taught in schools, discussed on radio shows, and analysed in universities. Angelou used the opportunity to bring across her broader message of respect and understanding between races and genders, a message she hoped would reach many more people around the world.
Angelou’s international success marked a major milestone in Angelou’s journey from a young girl in Stamps, Arkansas to a renowned artist and cultural figure. She used her influence to connect generations of people and to bring understanding between different people and cultures. Her story serves as a reminder of the power of faith, courage and determination in the face of adversity.
