Maya Angelou
“My mission in life is not merely to survive, but to thrive; and to do so with some passion, some compassion, some humor, and some style (Angelou). ” This quote in itself is one that is simply beautiful. It is one that everyone can live by. Who is the intellect behind these words that are stringed together so inspirationally? The answer is simple, Maya Angelou. Angelou was born in 1928, in St. Louis, Missouri. In the beginning, she was known as Marguerite Annie Johnson. However, she obtained the nickname “Maya” by her brother, Bailey. Both she and her brother were raised by their pious grandmother, Annie Henderson, in Stamps, Arkansas. When one looks into Maya Angelou’s life, they can easily be overwhelmed by her countless
…show more content…
At the time, Angelou was singing at a nightclub when some of the artists from the company found her singing and asked if she would dance on the stage. Long story short, Angelou got a role as Ruby in Porgy and Bess and thus launched her singing and acting career. She gave performances in a whopping twenty-two countries. Not only did she act in Porgy and Bess, but she was included in plays both on and off Broadway. Included of these were Cabaret for Freedom in which she performed to raise money for the Southern Christian Leadership Conference. Angelou also recorded an album by the name of Calypso Lady (Winkler, …show more content…
You may trod me in the very dirt, but still, like dust, I'll rise. (Still I Rise, 1978).” One can see how these two sentences alone impact the reader’s emotions and will to persevere. Another of her most popular writings is her book, “I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings”. An international best-seller, this work allowed for the voice that she once lost to become even louder and stronger. This book alludes to racial oppression. This poem is a metaphor for how the white person is the free bird. “... names the sky his own” shows how the white man names everything his own as if he is entitled to it. The caged bird are the black people who face daily oppression. They are not ever entirely free. They sing and long for the day that they’re equal to the white man. Another poem that puts her activism on display is her work, “Phenomenal Woman”. “I wrote it for black women and white women and Chinese women and Japanese women and Jewish women. I wrote it for Native American women, Aleut, Eskimo ladies. I wrote it for all women, very fat women, very thin, pretty, plain (Winkler, 2018),” She stated. The poem elaborates on how every minor aspect of a woman is incredible. This shows how iconic Angelou was. She was truly an activist for equal rights. Being an incredibly successful black women during her time proves that anyone can do anything that they put their mind to. She overcame oppression and made a way for herself in the
Maya Angelou has inspired me in more ways than one, and I had to write about her. When Maya speaks people listen. She has this wisdom that only few have, especially when life wasn’t always great. She turned tragedy into triumph, and helped others in doing so. So, Maya has proven too many women, especially black women that you succeed, even if you have had a child in your teen years. She’s proof that with determination nothing is unattainable.
Maya Angelou was born on April 4, 1928, a year before the crash of 29 (the stock market crash). To get a sense of what exactly Maya was born into, I will explain what exactly this meant. This
Angelou's last installment in her autobiography series is titled with the first line from her first installment, "A song flung up to heaven." By an examination of interviews with Angelou and commentary from critical interpretations, I think I now know the answer of why the caged bird sings. The cage bird sings because of the hope and optimism in its heart that enables it to sing no matter its dour, trapped circumstances. In similar ways, Angelou often used such hope and optimism to survive terrible life experiences, like living through the Watts Riots in Los Angeles and their aftermath. Over the years Angelou had to make tough choices for a female, especially an African-American woman in a racist society. Nevertheless, she exhibited hope, optimism and courage that enabled her to walk the road seldom taken. In one interview Angelou comments about her character in Caged Bird, Annie Johnson, "each of us has the right and the responsibility to assess the roads which lie ahead, and those over which we have traveled, and if the future road looms ominous or uninviting...step off that road into another direction" (Kizis
When Marguerite began working at a nightclub as a singer, she changed her name to Maya Angelou. She came up with this name by using a childhood nickname and her husband’s name. Her marriage did not last too long, but her career continued to grow more and more successful. Maya was a play writer, songwriter, performer, singer, historian, dancer, stage and screen producer, author, poet, and a civil rights activist. Marguerite Johnson was born in Saint Louis,Missouri, April 4, 1928. On May 28, 2014, Maya died in her home, Winston-Salem, North Carolina from years of health issues.
Angelou was so much more than a writer all though writing is what she is most known for. She was a feminist and a Civil Rights Activists as well which inspired most of the topics for some of her most famous writings. She's extremly impressive from starting out as having nothing to having everything she could ever want. Who would have thought that someone who was mute for 5 years had such a way with words like
Maya Angelou just may be the most "human" person in the world. Indeed, with all of the struggles she went through in her early life, her humanness increasingly deepened. Her life was characterized by the instability of her childhood and her family, along with the challenge of being a black woman growing up in 19th century America. The deepness of her humanness is evident in all of her writings, from her autobiographies to her poetry. Now a success today, Angelou's major themes are inspired by the dream of overcoming the struggles that were ever-present in her life.
Maya Angelou is a phenomenal woman. She rises through all things that come her way and she refuses to back down. Angelou chose at a very young age to be a writer and a role model for many people. She believes that everyone should be treated equally and that the world should come together as a unity. Angelou had many careers but is known mostly for her poetic creations. She has come a long way from where she started and I think anyone can agree with me when I say, she has made us all proud with her accomplishments. Angelou writes poetry to inform and encourage others to carry on through the worst of times. She is a strong, confident, inspirational woman and I am more than honored to be doing my senior paper on her.
Maya Angelou was born April 4, 1928. Her real name is Marguerite Johnson, but she later changed it to Maya. She was born in St. Louis, shortly after her birth her family up and move to Arkansaw. Maya grew up there in the rural parts of Arkansaw, and later married to a South African Freedom Fighter. She lived in Cairo with him, there she began her career as editor of the Arab Observer.
wrote her autobiographical novel I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings as an attempt to expose the discrimination that pervades society
Maya Angelou was an African American that grew up to be a well known poet. I chose to write an analysis on her because she was the main character in the book I know why a caged bird sings, and interested me the most. She grew up in the 1990s, when discrimination was still a problem. She has endured so much in her lifetime.
Maya Angelou was a wonderful girl and woman. Her birth name was Marguerite Annie Johnson. She was born in St. Louis, Missouri on April 4, 1928. She was raised by her grandmother and mother. While she was with her grandmother, she lived in Stamps, Arkansas. While she was with her mother, she lived in St. Louis. Unfortunately, when she was seven, she was raped by her mother’s boyfriend. She didn’t speak for years and it scarred her for life. Eventually, Maya won a scholarship to San Francisco’s Labor School for dance and drama. She dropped out at
Maya Angelou was an author, actress, screenwriter, dancer and poet. She was born on April 4, 1928 in St. Louis, Missouri. Growing up, she was known as Marguerite Annie Johnson and was later given the name Maya Angelou in her twenties. She had a difficult childhood due to her parents splitting when she was a very young age. Angelou and her brother were sent to Stamps, Arkansas, where they lived with their grandmother. Even as a child Angelou experienced racial discrimination and was even raped by her mother’s boyfriend at the age of eight. In seek of revenge, Angelou’s uncle killed the boyfriend, thus leaving Angelou traumatized and practically mute. Eventually, Angelou spoke again with help from Mrs. Bertha Flowers, a teacher and
According to Poets.org, “Angelou was an author, poet, historian, songwriter, playwright, dancer, stage and screen producer, director, performer, singer, and civil rights activist. She was best known for her autobiographical books: Mom & Me & Mom (Random House, 2013); Letter to My Daughter (2008); All God’s Children Need Traveling Shoes (1986); The Heart of a Woman (1981); Singin’ and Swingin’ and Gettin’ Merry
Maya Angelou was born in st. lous , Missouri in 1928. Maya lived with her grandmother in Arkansas when she was a child. When she was still a teen she moved to California and gave birth to a baby boy. Maya was a person who was not afraid of a challenge.
Marguerite Annie Johnson (Maya Angelou) was a civil rights activist, writer, poet, actor, dancer, director. For some, the list can go on and on. Most importantly she was more than an inspiration for women, the african-american race, or even the U.S. But for the world. She has won over fifty honorary degrees and is the definition of what it takes to live a fulfilled life. Here is her story.