Maya Angelou

Maya Angelou used her celebrity platform to raise awareness on equal rights for everyone. She proved this by being a civil rights activist. She fought for the end of racism, sexism, and even same sex marriage. In 1988, Maya Angelou spoke about the importance of coming out at the second annual Human Rights Campaign. In her speech Angelou said, "When we have enough courage to come out – I don’t mean just out of the closet, I mean out of your spirit – when you have enough courage to stand and say, ‘I came here to say,’ it’s amazing. You have no idea who you will inform.” She also personally called New York State Senator Shirley Huntley to voice her support of same-sex marriage. During the call she said, “To love someone takes a lot of courage, so how much more is one challenged when the love is of the same sex and the laws say, ‘I forbid you from loving this person’?” Shirley Huntley greatly opposed same sex marriage but after the conversation with Angelou she changed her stance and ended

‘Still I Rise’ is a poem written by Maya Angelou, an African-American poet, and civil rights activist in the 1960s. She has struggled at many times in her life; when her parents divorced at the age of three, being raped by her mother’s boyfriend just after moving back to live with them, and refusing to speak for five years because she felt guilty for reporting the crime. The poem portrays an ironic response towards people who have persistently put her down, due to the fact that she is now overcoming this, and is most likely having a better current life than her last oppressors. The reader can comprehend Angelou’s strength to continuously fight her battles against subjugation towards her and others of the same race and gender. The basis of

Maya Angelou is a leading literary voice of the African-American community. She writes of the triumph of the human spirit over hardship and adversity. “Her style captures the ca-dences and aspirations of African American women whose strength she celebrates.” (Library of Chattanooga State, n. d.) Maya has paved the way for children who has had a damaged

Maya Angelou was very brave. One of the things that makes her brave is being able to talk about being sexually abused. At the young age of seven, Angelou was sexually abused by her mother’s boyfriend. This happened while she was briefly staying with her mother in St. Louis. For the rest of her life, she would have that memory in her brain, reminding her of such a traumatic experience. In 1970, Angelou had an autobiography that was on the New York Times’ bestseller

Maya Angelou, who was the first African-American to work in the San Francisco streetcars, accomplished many things in her life. This fact proves that Angelou was a woman who believed in doing what needs to be done in order to accomplish her goals. Angelou made an influence on the world with her books and poems that related to diverse people in different situations, but most importantly, she fought for African-American right in the early and middle 1900s.

At a very young age, she was raped and abused by her mother’s boyfriend. This took such a toll on her that she decided to stop speaking for five years (Hagen). The term thriver can perfectly describe Angelou and she wanted others to not only survive but thrive in their life. Angelou once boldly stated, “But in my heart I felt exalted knowing there was much to celebrate. Despite the murders, rapes and suicides, we had survived...but in my heart I felt exalted knowing there was much to celebrate...we had been creative, because we faced down death by daring to hope” (Collier) In her poetry, Maya Angelou focuses on issues surrounding African American (Kirkpatrick). To combat these issues, She fills her poetry with humor and empowerment (Hagen). One of her most well known works, the poem, Phenomenal Woman, showcases her thriver mentality very well. In the poem, a woman establishes herself as not a typical beauty, but a woman who everyone cannot take their eyes off of. People know that there is something different about this woman, men have to stop and talk to her. Each stanza ends with the words, “I’m a woman Phenomenally. Phenomenal woman, That's me” (Spacey). To write this poem after the the abuse that Angelou faced in her early childhood shows how satisfied Angelou was with herself in the 1970’s when she wrote it. This is a poem to not only inspire women, but set them free

Leadership and Legacy Maya Angelou Tiavounta Hudson Thesis Even though Maya Angelou had several problems in her life she overcame them and became successful, she became a civil rights activist and she also wrote poems and books that inspired people to become writers and many more other things. Background In the late 1950's the civil rights movement begins,The civil rights movement was about racial discrimination and the segregation between African American people and white people. African American people didn't have much to do or an opportunity to do many things,like there wasn't a lot of African American women as writers.

Maya Angelou Poetry Analysis “Did you want to see me broken? Bowed head and lowered eyes? Shoulders falling down like teardrops weakened by my soulful cries?” Maya Angelou has been through a lot in her life that has affected the way she is. Growing up in the 20th century was not easy, as it states in history books.

During the 1990’s Maya Angelou walked into a meeting filled with civil rights leaders to discuss the affirmative action and as she stepped through the doorway she simply stated, “The first problem is you don’t have women in here of equal status. We need to correct you before you can correct the country”. Maya Angelou was a woman of color whose talents stemmed far beyond being a writer, poet, actor, dancer, memoirist, filmmaker, mentor and civil rights activist. Despite her lack of influence with political power, her widespread inspiration and powerful truth will extend beyond her grave to generations to come. Many women of color can be seen making an impact on how we live our lives today, but Maya Angelou has a cumbersome amount of achievements

A poem can capture the mind, soul, and the bare heart, but, how can one’s interpretation of a poem alter the true value of the poem itself? The answer to this question may vary, depending on one’s interpretation. Then again, that response can be used to answer every question this world holds. Dr. Maya Angelou is one of the most renowned and influential voices of our time. Hailed as a global renaissance woman, Dr. Angelou is a celebrated poet, memoirist, novelist, educator, producer, actress, historian, filmmaker, and civil rights activist. As a strong African-American woman, she has experienced the brutality of racial discrimination, yet also absorbed the unshakable faith and values of traditional African-American family, community, and

With over 50 honorary doctorate degrees Dr. Angelou became a celebrated poet, memoirist, educator, dramatist, producer, actress, historian, filmmaker, and civil rights activist.” Life as an author, poet, and writer she was a part of different organizations like Harlem Guild Writers and Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC). She also sustained a job by working as an editor. She had overcame the maximum of the longest running record for nonfictional books. “Angelou was lauded for remaining on the New York Times paperback nonfiction bestseller list for 2 years.” Published cookbooks she is like a mother figure for girls with absent mother. She also had prize winning documentaries that were written by her. The famous book “ I know why the caged birds sings” was forbid out of multiple schools because it revealed the truth about Maya’s rape the book later was a part of college courses. She had 30 bestselling titles out of 36 books. Her career as an actor & singer she contrived her first album Miss Calypso. As a singer she was well known for her well written lyrics and spoken word. Subsequently she cooperated with Quincy Jones and wrote lyrics for B.B. King. She was also the 1st black to consummate screenplay. Being an acted she performed in Jeans Gene’s The Blacks and persuaded and produced Caberet for Freedom. She was the first black woman in Hollywood to write, make, and direct productions. Assured success for the original screen play an musical score for the film Georgia, Georgia authored and producer of 5 part tv miniseries. “Maya Angelou became one of the most renowned and influential voices of our time. With over 50 honorary doctorate degrees Dr. Angelou became a celebrated poet, memoirist, educator, dramatist, producer, actress, historian, filmmaker, and civil rights

Maya Angelou, one of the most influential women of our time, saw the world from many angles. She lived in the streets and toured with magnificent shows. She lived and worked with people that the majority of others would turn their noses up at, she became friends with dazzling celebrities. She faced some of the most horrible hardships that most of us can’t begin to imagine being put through. But, in the end,it all paid off; she pushed through and ended up on top. Maya Angelou used her wisdom and her own experiences to encourage, influence, and shape a culture.

The song “Pretty Woman” talks of a guy meeting a beautiful looking female. The song is similar but cannot be compared to the meaning of a poem by Maya Angelou. Her poem Phenomenal Woman, talks about how she is not a “pretty woman,” yet that does not stop the men from looking and wondering about her. Maya Angelou uses imagery, tone, and the title to describe her view of herself compared to the “pretty woman” Imagery in the poem Phenomenal Woman is important. Maya Angelou uses imagery in the poem because the speaker is comparing herself, a regular woman, to the way media suggest woman should look.

The common themes and beliefs of differences and similarities are upheld throughout the texts are presented differently but founded on similar thinking in several ways. The author of the poem, Maya Angelou, presents her thinking with the use of repetition and comparison while the author of the speech, Barack Obama, presents his thoughts with the use of an anecdote or short story. These authors use different techniques to identify themes of equality and similarities despite our differences, but have similar thinking.

Maya Angelou's "Still I Rise" is a poem about strength and endurance, and about affirmation. I feel as if Maya Angelou main message into writing poem is about prejudice people that are against African Americans. She is saying that she has the strength to carry on and the courage to get back up when she has been look down upon and degraded by others that won’t accept her for who she is. This