Maya Angelou (/ˈmaɪ.ə ˈændʒəloʊ/; born Marguerite Ann Johnson;
April 4, 1928 – May 28, 2014) was an African-American author and poet. She published seven autobiographies, three books of essays, and several books of poetry, and is credited with a list of plays, movies, and television shows spanning more than fifty years. She received dozens of awards and over thirty honorary doctoral degrees. Angelou is best known for her series of seven autobiographies, which focus on her childhood and early adult experiences.
The first, I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings (1969), tells of her life up to the age of seventeen, and brought her international recognition and acclaim.
In 1951, Angelou married Greek electrician, former sailor, and aspiring musician, Tosh Angelos, despite the condemnation of interracial relationships at the time and the disapproval of her mother.[24][25][note 3] She took modern dance classes during this time, and met dancers and choreographers Alvin Ailey and Ruth Beckford. Angelou and Ailey formed a dance team, calling themselves "Al and Rita", and performed Modern Dance at fraternal black organizations throughout San Francisco, but never became successful.[27] Angelou, her new husband, and her son moved to New York City so that she could study African dance with Trinidadian dancer Pearl Primus
In 1960, after meeting civil rights leader Martin Luther King, Jr. and hearing him speak, she and Killens organized "the legendary"[36] Cabaret for Freedom to benefit the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC), and she was named SCLC's Northern Coordinator.
In Accra, she became close friends with Malcolm X during his visit in the early 1960s. Angelou returned to the U.S. in 1965 to help him build a new civil rights organization, the Organization of Afro-American Unity
In the late 1970s, Angelou met Oprah Winfrey when Winfrey was a TV anchor in Baltimore, Maryland; Angelou would later become Winfrey's close friend and mentor. In 1981, Angelou and du Feu divorced. She returned to the southern United States in 1981, where she accepted the lifetime Reynolds Professorship of American Studies at Wake Forest University in Winston-Salem, North Carolina
Angelou married 2nd time Welsh carpenter and ex-husband of Germaine Greer, Paul du Feu, in San Francisco in 1973.[note 10] In the next ten years, as Gillespie has stated, "She had accomplished more than many artists hope to achieve in a lifetime". She worked as a composer, writing for singer Roberta Flack and composing movie scores. She wrote articles, short stories, TV scripts and documentaries, autobiographies and poetry, produced plays, and was named visiting professors of several colleges and universities.
List of honors received by Maya AngelouAngelou was honored by universities, literary organizations, government agencies, and special interest groups. Her honors included a Pulitzer Prize nomination for her book of poetry, Just Give Me a Cool Drink of Water 'fore I Diiie,[112] a Tony Award nomination for her role in the 1973 play Look Away, and three Grammys for her spoken word albums.[122][123] She served on two presidential committees,[107][124] and was awarded the National Medal of Arts in 2000,[125] the Lincoln Medal in 2008,[126] and the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2011.[127] Angelou was awarded over thirty honorary degrees.[59]
Such an illustrious carrier.. Oops I was under the impression she won Noble Prize literature .. but she didn't ... She is indeed one of the best role Models of all time for young 17 year olds of any culture and any continent
Topic: ...Maya Angelou.. Wonderful Soul RIP..