Celebrating Dr. Maya Angelou
In April, we celebrate National Poetry Month. April 4th is the birthday of iconic memoirist, poet and civil rights activist Dr. Maya Angelou. Dr. Angelou was born Marguerite Johnson in 1928 in St. Louis Missouri. She published her first novel, I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings, in 1969. The first of several autobiographical works, this novel garnered Dr. Angelou recognition and international fame. Previous to her writing career, she was the first Black female director and had a successful career as a singer, dancer, actress and composer.
As an activist, Dr. Angelou worked alongside Martin Luther King Jr. and Malcolm X. In 1960, she partnered with author James O. Killens to organize the Cabaret for Freedom benefit, raising funds for the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC). She was appointed as the coordinator for the Northern sect of SCLC the following year.
Killens would encourage Dr. Angelou to pursue a career in writing. After moving back to New York City, she joined the Harlem Writers Guild and began to publish work. I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings follows Dr. Angelou’s life as a Black teenager in the American South during the 1930s and 1940s. She lived in rural Stamps, Arkansas with her grandmother and brother Bailey, following her parents' divorce. The book reflects the abuse that Dr. Angelou endured as a child from her mother’s boyfriend. Following her abuser’s release from jail, he was murdered, for which she felt responsible. She then remained mute for five years. The novel is a reflection of the abandonment that Dr. Angelou and her brother would experience due to their parents and her love for words and writing.
Despite having no bachelor’s degree, Dr. Angelou accepted the lifetime Reyonld’s professorship of American Studies at Wake Forest University. She taught several subjects, particularly those that interested her such as philosophy, ethics, theology, science, theater and writing.
Dr. Angelou is highly regarded as a figure who changed the way success is viewed as an African American woman. She is credited with inspiring many, including politicians like President Barack Obama and Senator Cory Booker. Artists like Mary J. Blige also voice feeling influenced and inspired by Dr. Angelou. Before her death at 86 in 2014, Dr. Angelou received more than 50 honorary degrees, in addition to the National Medal of Arts presented by President Clinton and the Presidential Medal of Freedom presented by President Obama. She was also given the Literarian Award, an honorary National Book Award for contributions to the literary community.
Maya Dr. Angelou inspires us to find success not only in our endeavors but also in life. Strong women like Dr. Angelou have paved the way for many women to shine in different industries – including our own. Read more about this iconic figure here!
