A monumental poet by name of Maya Angelou, spoke life into the words that she wrote. With her deep philosophical meanings she was able to leave a legacy throughout the years leaving many able to relate to her. 

Angelou was born in 1928, in Missouri, with her given name Marguerite Ann Johnson. At a young age, she was sent to live with her paternal grandmother in Arkansas due to her parents divorce. There she was given the nickname Maya by her brother. At the age of 7, she briefly went under her mother’s care, in which she was sexually assaulted by hmother’s boyfriend. This caused Angelou to become mute for six years, since she believed that her disclosure led to his death. 

Nevertheless, Angelou was exceedingly talented in writing. She wrote many essays, poetry and kept journals. In 1949, she married a man named Tosh Angelos, whom she ended up divorcing, but kept a form of his last name Angelou. 

In the year 1959, Angelou joined a group formed in New York City called the Harlem Writers Guild to support the publication of Black authors. Ten years later, she published “I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings” which was an autobiography of her early life. This book showcased the strength she had dealing with her childhood trauma and racism. It spoke to many readers and was nominated for a National Book Award. However, schools sought to get the book banned due to how it depicted sexual abuse, but instead the book was credited to helping other survivors tell their stories. The book went on to sell millions of copies worldwide and was translated in numerous languages. 

Angelou went on to write many other essay collections and poetry volumes, such as “Just Give Me a Drink ‘fore I Diiie” which was nominated for a Pulitzer-Prize. She also won a Grammy for Best Spoken Word in 1994 due to her recorded spoken album of her poem “On the Pulse of the Morning,” which was originally written for Bill Clinton’s presidential inauguration, and subsequently won two more Grammy Awards after. Other than being a poet, she was also a screen writer, actor, director and producer. She was the first African American woman to have her screenplay turned into a production, named “Georgia, Georgia.” She also played a supporting role in the play “Look Away” earning her a Tony nomination, and played Kune Kinte’s grandmother in the hit 1977 miniseries “Roots.” 

Other than the artist aspect of Angelou, she was also an activist. She was very active in the Civil Rights Movement, and was the northern coordinator for an African American advocacy organization called Southern Christian Leadership Organization. She worked with Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and Malcolm X, was a part of many marches, funded organizations and actively fought against apartheid in South Africa. Angelou continued to use the platform that she gained and her art to showcase social issues, tell her story and empower others.