![]() Maya Angelou was an award-winning college professor and can be considered one of the most influential women of her era. ![]() Her 1969 memoir ‘I know why the caged bird sings’ was one of her best works as it made history in that it was the first nonfictional bestseller by a woman of color. Marguerite Annie Johnson Angelou was a renowned American actress, author, poet, dancer, civil rights activist, and screenwriter. Her first autobiography, I know why the Caged Bird Sings, has received worldwide acclaim and is used extensively in classrooms throughout the United States.Īngelou passed away at Winston-Salem, North Carolina on May 28, 2014.This essay describes the analysis of the poem ‘Still I Rise ‘by Maya Angelou. Others argue that her poetry has always been intended to reach a wider audience, and that it is more “representative” in its purpose.Īlthough her poetry is used minimally in the public school classroom, her autobiographies have gained significant attention. Many of the critics of contemporary poetry consider her poetry as “popular” poetry, claiming that it requires no real cognitive efforts on the part of the reader. Although Angelou was not present at any of the memorials held for Jackson, her poem, We Had Him, was read by Queen Latifah at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, California.Īngelou’s poetry has received mixed reviews over the years. She was present for the inauguration of President Bill Clinton, and read that poem as a part of the inauguration ceremony.Īnother of her better known poems was written in response to the death of the immensely popular singer, Michael Jackson. ![]() Perhaps her best known piece of poetry is On the Pulse of the Morning. Her first official collection of poetry was published as Just Give Me a Cool Drink of Water ‘Fore I Diiie. Furthermore, she wrote several autobiographies and began writing and publishing poetry in the early 1970s. and several other contemporary civil rights activists. She also developed her acquaintance with Dr. She began her writing career in the late 1950s in New York. She changed her name to Maya Angelou while she was working as a Calypso dancer in San Francisco. This was also the time during which her skill at memorization expanded tremendously. She also developed a special gift for observing things happening around her, listening to every word that was spoken. It was during that period that she apparently developed her appreciation for literature and books. The result was a period of selective mutism, where she refused to speak for nearly five years. Angelou believed that she had somehow caused the man’s death with her voice. For whatever reason, he was released a day later however, four days after his release, he was found murdered. She told her brother about the incident, which ultimately resulted in the man’s conviction and sentencing. At the age of eight, her mother’s boyfriend raped and abused the young girl. Louis, Missouri, Angelou had a rather traumatic childhood. Her list of professions is long and diverse:, author, playwright, civil rights activist, film producer, professor, television producer, film director, actress, dancer, and finally, a poet. This is one of America’s most notable contemporary poets. Some may know her as Marguerite Ann Johnson, but most of the world calls her Maya Angelou.
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