 Maya
Angelou
Inaugural Poet
Maya Angelou is hailed
as one of the great voices of contemporary literature
and as a remarkable Renaissance woman. Being a poet,
educator, historian, best-selling author, actress, playwright,
civil-rights activist, producer and director, Dr. Angelou
continues to travel the world making appearances, spreading
her legendary wisdom.
A mesmerizing vision of grace,
swaying and stirring when she moves, Dr. Angelou captivates
her audiences lyrically with vigor, fire and perception.
She has the unique ability to shatter the opaque prisms
of race and class between reader and subject throughout
her books of poetry and her autobiographies.
Dr. Angelou has authored twelve
best-selling books including I Know Why the Caged Bird
Sings and her current best-seller A Song Flung Up to
Heaven.
In 1981, Dr. Angelou was appointed to a lifetime position
as the first Reynolds Professor of American Studies
at Wake Forest University.
In January 1993, she became
only the second poet in U.S. History to have the honor
of writing and reciting original work at the Presidential
Inauguration.
Maya Angelou, born in 1928,
spent part of her early years in Stamps, Arkansas. At
three years old, she and her brother were sent to live
with her grandmother because their parents divorced.
Later on they were taken to live with their mother in
St. Louis where unfortunately she was raped by her mother’s
boyfriend (at that time she was only eight). The rapist
was eventually tried and, unexpectedly killed by somebody
also. Marguerite was shocked at the news and felt that
she had caused his death. Thinking that she was sinful
and dirty, she became an entirely different person,
seldom speaking to others. The text is the part of story
telling how she got recovered from her bitter experience
in St. Louis.
She struggled to achieve maturity
and success as a dancer, singer, actress, producer,
and writer. In the 1960s, she acted as Northern Coordinator
for the Southern Christian Leadership Conference organized
by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
Her major works:
I know why the Caged Bird Sings (1970), from which our
present text is taken (Chapter 15)
Singin’ and Swingin’ and getting’ Merry Like Christmas
(1976)
Just Give Me a Cool Drink of Water ‘fore I Die (poem,
1971)
On Pray My Wings Are Gonna Fit Me Well (poem, 1975)
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