Maya Angelou: Civil Rights Activist

In I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou, Angelou uses various stylistic devices and rhetorical strategies such as similes and metaphors. Angelou’s use of similes are used in order to describe her own character. In this, Angelou remarks “For nearly a year, I sopped around the house, the Store, the school and the church, like an old biscuit, dirty and inedible” showing that Angelou's inner feelings of not being good enough to be picked or loved. Correspondingly Angelou felt her skin looked “dirty like mud” showing her inner insecurities of her skin colour being unattractive. The sense of Angelou’s insecurities can also be seen with the use of metaphors regarding Angelou's skin as she remarked “I was described by our playmates

Maya Angelou, An African American poet, who has many legacy and dedication through her career as a writer, poet, songwriter, dancer and other. Maya angelou was born as Marguerite Johnson on April 4th, 1928, in St. Louis, Missouri. But raised in Stamps, Arkansas, by her paternal Grandmother “Annie Henderson” Ms. Angelou early childhood experiences has been going through a lot of trauma which she the only option were find out motivation to express herself in writing. She died on May 28, 2014 at age of 86 in North Carolina. Thus, Maya Angelou parents, “Bailey Johnson and Vivian Baxter” were divorced when she was very young, while she attends to grow up in Arkansas with her paternal grandmother. Ms. Angelou father was a Bailey Johnson, was a “brash,

‘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

40 years ago, American government went from celebrating influential African Americans for only a week to a full month. This became the start of Black History Month. In the month of February, some Americans celebrate and remember black heroes around the United States for their efforts and accomplishments they made to help alleviate prejudice for present and future African Americans in order for them to have a chance at becoming successful and living the “American Dream” in peace. Though Americans still will exemplify discrimination towards African Americans today, vicious crimes towards blacks are not as detrimental as they used to be. As time continued from the beginning of Black History Month, many Americans have forgotten the importance of February. Black History Month shows that those who assisted in making America were not all of European descent. In my essay I want to bring the spotlight back to one of my favorite activists, Maya Angelou: a poet, author, performer, screenwriter, a strong, independent black woman who not only was intelligent but also the voice and the mind of the captive ones.

Maya Angelou’s childhood was a little hectic, but with time she put her best foot forward in spite of struggles. Angelou had a beautiful voice that wasn’t heard until she started writing poems. Angelou was also awarded multiple awards, because of her excellent poetry. Maya Angelou worked hard to present us with her extravagant, most vibrant poems that has impacted a lot of lives. Maya Angelou is an awe-inspiring figure in American Literature who is determined to spread equality to all.

“Now no one can make you talk-possibly no one can.” This explains that your voice is yours, and no one can make you say something or do something you don’t want to do.Maya Angelou worked in a Store with her Momma in Stamps, Arkansas. But, when Maya was about 8 ,she started to have problems with finding her voice. By analyzing the beginning, middle, and end of I know why the Caged bird sings, it becomes clear that throughout the book Maya Angelou finds out how powerful her voice can be.

Through an examination of the female experience, Maya Angelou's Still I Rise (1978) and Anne Sexton's Her Kind (1960) utilise the authors' individual styles to inspire and shape our understanding of oppression and empowerment. In the difference in presentation of their common themes, the implications of different styles are shaped. Though there are similarities between the poets, it is the way they choose to utilise literary devices that creates a text that resonates with the audience in different ways.

A hero is a person who is admired for great or brave acts or fine qualities. Maya Angelou disregarded expectations and the wants of the real world in order to show society women in her time period can conquer. Coming from such a pressuring background she still proved whatever a person puts their mind to, they can do. Maya Angelou is known intentionally because of her wonderful talents: poetry, singing, writing songs, dancing, and playwright; in which, she has blessed many hearts with these impossibly great inspirations. A hero is someone who stands out in their own way without caring for an approval like Maya Angelou.

Regardless of the fact that Maya Angelou´s life was full of troubles and pain, she still arose from all and became one of the strongest writers and African American Activists. ¨ Maya Angelou was born in St. Louis Missouri on April 4th , 1928 . When her parents separated , her and her brother went off to live with their grandma in Stamps, Arkansas . Her grandmother was one of the very few African American who had own her own general store. Although her grandmother was a big part of her life especially when it came to self- confidence , unfortunately Maya had went to visit in St. Louis and happened to be raped by her mother's boyfriend at the age of eight. This made Maya Angelou feel completely worthless. When her uncles founded out that this happened, they went and beaten him to death . Although the man could never touch her again , Maya Angelou felt that it was her fault of his death due to telling his name . This made Angelou not speak for around 5 years. ¨

Maya Angelou was born on April 4, 1928, in the town of St. Louis, Missouri. Her parents, who divorced when she was four, sent her and her brother off to stay with their grandma in the segregated town of Stamps, Arkansas. There she learned many life lessons she would later convey in her media. Then, at the age of 7 she was raped by her mother’s boyfriend, prompting her uncles to kill him. After that experience she became mute for many years, during which her love of poetry and poets like William Shakespeare was fostered. She later moved to San Francisco on a dance and acting scholarship. Then, in 1994 Maya Angelou gave birth to her child Guy and married Anastasios Angelopulos.

Maya Angelou employs the use of narrative elements, such as conflict, setting, and plot to develop a theme of identity in her autobiography, I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings. In I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings, Maya Angelou utilizes elements of conflict to illustrate Maya’s sense of individuality and background, creating a theme of identity. For example, as Maya goes to work for Mrs. Cullinan, her employer renames her, much to Maya’s discontent. Maya’s individuality stands out well in these series of events, as she declares, “My name wasn’t Mary,” shortly after performing a rebellious act (Angelou 111).

In addition, My black history report is on my person name Maya Angelou and she was known for an american poet ,memoirist,and civil rights activist. She also published seven autobiographies, three books of essays, several books of poetry, and was credited.Also she wrote plays,movies,and television shows spanning over when she was 50 years old. Angelou died on May 28, 2014, in Winston-salem, North Carolina, where she had served as Reynolds professor of American studies. Angelou joined the Harlem Writers Guild in the late 1950s and met James Baldwin and other important writers. It was during this time Angelou had the opportunity to hear Dr. Luther king speak.

¨History, despite its wrenching pain, cannot be unlived, but if faced with courage, need not to be lived again,” (“Phenomenal Woman”). We won't have to relive what has happened already, but if we continue to do things to change things in a positive way, the world would stay a positive place. Maya Angelou was a freedom rights activist & feminism. She received awards for her writings, while also being a self confident woman. The American novelist and poet Maya Angelou, used her life to display racial discrimination, social class, and feminism within her works.

Maya Angelou a poet and an award winning author, born April 4, 1928 in st.louis,missouri She was an author, actress, screenwriter, dancer. Born Marguerite Annie Johnson, Angelou had a difficult childhood.She wrote many autobiography and poems even short essays talking about her life and how women should be more empowering especially black women .Maya Angelou wrote an autobiography titled “ Gather in my name”which is about angelou's personal life , she writes this at the end of world war two where all there seems to be in the world is optimism . At this time she gives birth to her son she becomes a single black parent , she faces difficult hard times as the next few years of her life as she would later find out would not be as easy as she would

“A true hero isn’t measured by the size of his strength, but by the strength of his heart”, said Zeus, from the Disney movie Hercules. Many people associate heroes with physical powers like x-ray vision, mind control, and flight. But in reality, it is the qualities of a person that defines them as a hero. Fortitude, morality, and selflessness are all characteristics that separate heroes from the average human beings.