Maya Angelou was instrumental in promoting black history and empowering black people and those discriminated against on account of their color and creed. She advocated for social justice, human rights, and progressive change in a society divided by race. She served as a powerful example of how to live life, sharing her personal story and journey of overcoming adversity, while championing black history, dignity, respect, and pride.
Her life and work provided an example of the power of education, resilience, and the importance of self-expression to untold legions of people across the globe. Angelou wrote several acclaimed works of poetry and fiction, including her autobiographical I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings, gaining worldwide recognition for her wit, strength, and courage in vulnerability as she illuminated the importance of being comfortable and proud of one’s identity.
Angelou sought to promote understanding and a more nuanced, educated understanding of the significant contributions African Americans have made and continue to make to society and culture, highlighting that the gift of progress lies in celebrating these contributions and the offsprings of their legacy.
She was a major advocate for the inclusion of black history into the school curriculum and not merely as chapters relegated to the past, as though such history is irrelevant to the present. Rather, Angelou tirelessly represented perspectives which illustrated the importance of connection between past, present and future.
Angelou was keen to foster a communal understanding of the necessity to nurture our collective history and values in order to ensure that knowledge passed down from our ancestors, which has enabled us to survive the world’s prejudices, isn’t squandered or forgotten. Her deep commitment to this pursuit enabled her to become an integral part of the efforts to preserve and honor African American history.
On an individual level, Angelou was a tireless voice of support for those who adopted similar positions and principles to her own, passionately advocating for the rights of African Americans and deeply committed to the notion of equality for all. This foray into the politics of racial justice and her involvement in the Civil Rights Movement were sources of enormous motivation. Through her many interactions and effort, she encouraged a generation of African Americans that it was possible to surpass the difficulties they faced and reach higher levels of accomplishment, while simultaneously validating the rich history that they descended from.
In her quest to elevate and hasten progress, Angelou equally reached out to inspire other oppressed individuals throughout the world and emphasised the need for solidarity and understanding between people of all backgrounds in order to develop a more tolerant, equitable, and prosperous future.
Early Life and Education
Born Marguerite Johnson in St. Louis, Missouri in 1928, Maya Angelou was raised in a tumultuous home punctuated with her parents’ separation and their eventual divorce. Like many African Americans during this period, the idea of ‘the American Dream’ was far from attainable for Angelou and her family.
Unsurprisingly, her early family life and experiences of deep-seated institutional racism left an indelible imprint on her personality and outlook of the world. Despite these prevailing circumstances, Angelou was able to recognize what was being denied to her, and actively sought out opportunities to pursue her education.
Her voracity for learning and knowledge was apparent in her large number of program enrollments, hosting of extracurricular events, and various initiatives to promote education and literacy in her community. By her mid-20s, Angelou had developed a reputation in the civil rights movement as a gifted speaker, political activist, and published author.
Her academic success and determination in the face of racial barriers are an inspiring example to those seeking to infuse their work with an understanding of and commitment to racial justice.
For Angelou, the thirst for knowledge went even further than the educational realm. She traveled the world and immersed herself in different cultures, developing a habit of using the language and customs of her destinations in her songs, stories, and poetry.
The Activist
Throughout her life, Angelou actively sought out opportunities to aid the movement for a more egalitarian society. From her teenage years onward, she engaged in activism for the Civil Rights Movement, fighting for social justice and racial equality.
Angelou believed that protest and action were the most effective ways to combat racial injustice. She championed the cause of equal rights and encouraged her peers to make their voices heard, so their demands would have the power to effect change. Angelou’s work in the movement focused on increasing black visibility in the media and politics, organizing rallies and marches, and encouraging black people to fight for their rights.
In addition to her efforts with the civil rights movement, Angelou was a champion of black history and art, continually championing the works of black writers, poets, and visual artists. Angelou also had her own stage on the international music scene, collaborating with jazz and soul legends like B.B. King and Ramsey Lewis, and advocating for racial harmony in her songs. This activism was integral to her self-expression and personal journey.
Through her many books, films, songs, and speeches, Angelou passionately proclaimed the need for black people to fight for their rights with no fear, and the importance of educating people on the legacy of African American history and culture.
Writing and Awards
At the age of 32, Angelou wrote her debut autobiography, I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings, for which she is still widely known. I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings, subsequently published in 1969, addressed race, trauma, and a woman’s search for identity, bolstering Angelou’s reputation as an important voice in the movement for black rights.
In the decades to come, Angelou wrote and published a large variety of acclaimed works, including her 1971 autobiography Gather Together in My Name and her 1995 collection of poems Just Give Me a Cool Drink of Water ‘fore I Diiie. Angelou also wrote and recited the 1993 poem “On the Pulse of Morning” at President Bill Clinton’s 1993 inauguration, becoming the first poet to recite at a presidential inauguration.
These accomplishments, among many others, solidified Angelou as an international literary figure and icon of black literature, while gaining her a succession of fellowships, honorary degrees and awards recognizing her substantial contributions to the fields of the arts and civil rights.
Later Years and Legacy
Angelou often sought to revisits the events and dynamics of her past, while also evangelizing the transformative power of strength through adversity. While she was widely acclaimed as an auntie and mother figure to many who looked up to her, her work was also widely taught in American academia. Angelou was a powerful example of how to live life—sharing her personal story, whilst championing black history, dignity, and pride.
Angelou’s legacy lives on in the hearts of those who were inspired by her life and leadership. Her legacy is realized in the many works, books, and causes she championed throughout her life. The impact of her teachings is pervasive, and her ongoing influence is powerful and far-reaching in society today.
Poetry and Autobiographies
Angelou wrote and performed an impressive body of lyrical works, producing seven autobiographies and a trove of poems that have been translated into over a dozen languages. Her works often addressed the topics of racial politics, personal identity, religion, racism, and the much-needed redemptive power of love.
The sheer scope of her work was cosmic, representing no one single voice but many—from the perspectives of a woman who had lived many lives, many cultures, and wanted to spread a powerful message of hope and love. Her words resonated, travelling through generations of readers to reach people from all walks of life, connecting them to her in an intimate, meaningful way.
Angelou’s lyrical works were conduits for all those who were looking for solace in the depths and for joy and hope in the winds. She welcomed everyone to explore their inner sparks, air out their differences, and challenge the status quo in pursuit of their own truths and power.
Teaching and Leadership
In her roles as professor, lecturer, and professor emeritus at universities and colleges throughout the United States, Angelou sought to inspire people to use language to protect themselves, their community, and even the world through various means.
In her classes, Angelou taught her students to think of language as a tool, to use it with precision and purpose to make themselves heard, urging them to position themselves in a way that created the most positive and lasting impact. Angelou was a spiritual mentor and teacher, inspiring people to think critically, have faith in themselves, and stand up for what they believed in.
Angelou championed the power of language to create unity and defuse divisiveness, highlighting how it can be used to bring people together, from every ethnicity and culture, to form a powerful force for progressive change.
Final Years and Death
In spite of her advancing age, Angelou was still writing poems, books, and letters and engaging in a wide range of charitable causes, inspiring people even in her later years of life. As the years wore on, Angelou became a beacon of hope and solidarity for those struggling to create positive change in the world.
In an effort to pay tribute to her passing, Angelou’s alma mater Wake Forest University held a special service in her honor. Her passing also inspired people everywhere to reflect on the deep impact of her work, and the power of being able to overcome adversity, making a difference in people’s lives and helping to liberate others.
On May 28, 2014, after a full life of both hardship and success, Angelou passed away at her home in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. Her death came as a shock to many, and the outpouring of love and admiration was immense, as people all over the world paid tribute to her powerful legacy that would live on.
