Maya Angelou

Maya Angelou

About Maya Angelou

Maya Angelou was one of the most influential people of our time. She held many roles throughout her life, including poet, memoirist, novelist, educator, dramatist, producer, actress, historian, filmmaker, and civil rights activist.

She was born Marguerite Annie Johnson on April 4, 1928 in St. Louis, Missouri. She spent her growing up years in Arkansas, where she experienced racial discrimination. While life was not easy, especially since she became a single parent as a teenager, she used the tough parts of life as inspiration to write and touch the lives of others.

During the 1960's, Angelou spent time overseas. First she lived in Egypt. Then she moved to Ghana, where she taught at University of Ghana's School of Music of Drama. During this time she was the editor for the African Review, and she wrote for The Ghanaian Times.

While in Ghana, Maya Angelou met Malcom X. They came back to the United States in 1964, and Angelou was asked to help with African American Unity. After Malcom X was assassinated in 1965, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. asked her to be the Northern Coordinator for the Southern Christian Leadership Conference. King was assassinated on Maya Angelou's birthday 1968, and for a while she stopped celebrating her birthday. Up until the death of King's wife, she sent her flowers on this day every year.

Maya Angelou is most known for her autobiography I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings (1970). It is the most popular of her autobiographies, and it has been successful internationally. It was the first best seller written by an African American woman. Her other two autobiographies are All God's Children Need Traveling Shoes (1986) and A Song Flung Up to Heaven (2002).

One of her most famous poems, "On the Pulse of Morning", was recited at President Bill Clinton's inauguration in 1993. The recording of this poem won a Grammy Award in 1994 for "Best Spoken Word." Angelou also tried her hand at writing cookbooks. She published two between 2005 and 2010.

Thirty of Angelou's pieces made it onto the bestselling list.

In addition to writing, she was also a successful director and actress. She was the first African American woman to have a screenplay filmed. In 1972 the film Georgia, Georgia debuted. It was nominated for a Pulitzer Prize. Among other film pieces, she was an actress in Roots (1977).

During her lifetime, Angelou received more than 50 honorary degrees from various universities.

Maya Angelou passed away on May 28, 2014 at home in Winston-Salem, North Carolina.

Her words and actions have been an inspiration to many people.

References

    Poems by Maya Angelou

  • Touched By An Angel

    Famous Poem


    in Famous Sad Love Poems

    We, unaccustomed to courage
    exiles from delight
    live coiled in shells of loneliness
    until love leaves its high holy temple

    More...

    Go To Complete Poem

    • Stories 1
    • Shares 950
    • Favorited 13
    • Votes 147
    • Rating 4.58
    • Poem of the Week
    • Poem of the Day
    Featured Shared Story

    wow.. so emotional, Love frees the soul from bondage

    Touched by the poem? Share your story! (1)

  • Old Folks Laugh

    Famous Poem

    in Famous Family Poems

    They have spent their
    content of simpering,
    holding their lips this
    and that way, winding

    More...

    Go To Complete Poem

    • Stories 0
    • Shares 166
    • Favorited 1
    • Votes 20
    • Rating 4.20
  • Mother, A Cradle To Hold Me

    Famous Poem

    in Famous Family Poems

    It is true
    I was created in you.
    It is also true
    That you were created for me.

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    Go To Complete Poem

    • Stories 0
    • Shares 4094
    • Favorited 26
    • Votes 451
    • Rating 4.51
    • Poem of the Week
    • Poem of the Day
  • Equality

    Famous Poem

    in Famous Inspirational Poems

    You declare you see me dimly
    through a glass which will not shine,
    though I stand before you boldly,
    trim in rank and marking time.

    More...

    Go To Complete Poem

    • Stories 3
    • Shares 3398
    • Favorited 25
    • Votes 360
    • Rating 4.46
    • Poem of the Week
    • Poem of the Day
    Featured Shared Story

    Truely inspirational poem. This is the cry of present time that it is the 21st century and people are still struggling for equality, which is far from reach for many.

    Touched by the poem? Share your story! (3)

  • On Aging

    Famous Poem

    in Famous Family Poems

    When you see me sitting quietly,
    Like a sack left on the shelf,
    Don’t think I need your chattering.
    I’m listening to myself.

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    Go To Complete Poem

    • Stories 3
    • Shares 4183
    • Favorited 37
    • Votes 519
    • Rating 4.47
    • Poem of the Week
    • Poem of the Day
    Featured Shared Story

    Reading this poem was very heartfelt and personal. Maya Angelou has always been my favorite author of all times, but reading this particular poem reminds me of my grandmother who I was lucky...

    Read complete story

    Touched by the poem? Share your story! (3)



  • View All Poems by Maya Angelou

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