(Maya Angelou, 1928~2014)

My wish for you
Is that you continue

Continue

To be who and how you are
To astonish a mean world
With your acts of kindness

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To allow humor to lighten the burden
Of your tender heart

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In a society dark with cruelty
To let the people hear the grandeur
Of God in the peals of your laughter

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To let your eloquence
Elevate the people to heights
They had only imagined

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To remind the people that
Each is as good as the other
And the no one is beneath
Nor above you

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To remember your own young years
And look with favor upon the lost
And the least and the lonely

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To put the mantel of your protection
Around the bodies of
The young and defenseless

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To take the hand of the despised
And diseased and walk proudly with them
In the high street
Some might see you and
Be encouraged to do likewise

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To plant a public kiss of concern
On the cheek of the sick
And the aged and infirm
And count that as a
Natural action to be expected

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To let gratitude be the pillow
Upon which you kneel to
Say your nightly prayer
And let faith be the bridge
You build to overcome evil
And welcome good

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To ignore no vision
Which comes to enlarge your range
And increase your spirit

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To dare to love deeply
And risk everything
For the good thing

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To float
Happily in the sea of infinite substance
Which set aside riches for you
Before you had a name

Continue

And by doing so
You and your work
Will be able to continue
Eternally

Dr. Maya Angelou (Marguerite Annie Johnson) was born on April 4, 1928, in St. Louis, Missouri. The nickname ‘Maya’ was given to Angelou by her older brother during their childhood, as he always called her ‘my sister.’ At the age of three, Angelou moved to the small town of Stamps, Arkansas, to live with her grandmother after her parents divorced.

Maya Angelou was an essayist and poet who won three Grammy Awards for her spoken-word albums. She also had a diverse career as a streetcar conductor, composer, restaurant cook, principal dancer in an opera company, political magazine editor, literature professor, secretary, civil rights activist, Tony-nominated musical actress, and a television personality who played a significant supporting role in the TV drama Roots (1977).

She formed friendships with Martin Luther King Jr., Malcolm X, and Fidel Castro, traversing the Middle East and Africa with boundless energy. The voice embedded in her writings has left a legacy for the world. To transcend the discrimination and oppression of the American South in Arkansas during the 1930s, where she grew up, she may have had to live a life of continual reinvention and rebirth.

Maya with Malcolm X (Accra, Ghana, 1964) (Photo: mayaangelou.com)

A 7-Year-Old Encounters Massive Violence and Silence:

Thanks to her grandmother, who owned a small shop, Angelou had a relatively carefree childhood, but trials soon came: at the age of seven, she was sexually assaulted by her mother’s boyfriend. He was caught and put on trial, but before he could serve his sentence, he was murdered by Angelou’s uncles.

This incident instilled in young Angelou the fear that people died because she spoke out. Angelou suffered from aphasia for the next few years, and as she developed a love of literature, she slowly began to speak again, word by word.

From Streetcar Conductor to Single Mother and Dancer:

At 14, Angelou moved to San Francisco with her mother and spent her teenage years there. Standing at 183 cm tall and displaying a natural talent for dance, Angelou exuded confidence. Her pioneering spirit was evident when, at just 16, she became San Francisco’s first Black female streetcar conductor. After graduating from high school, Angelou gave birth to her son and became a single mother. She moved around California, taking on various tough jobs to support her son, embodying resilience and determination throughout her journey.

It was during this time that she adopted the stage name ‘Maya Angelou.’ Angelou found success as a dancer, performing in opera productions on world tours. She also recorded an album featuring her own compositions, showcasing her musical talents.

Literary Debut and Encounter with the Civil Rights Movement:

In 1959, Angelou made her literary debut and moved to New York City. There, she met Martin Luther King Jr., a hero of the Civil Rights Movement, and joined the rapidly growing movement, taking on a leadership role.

During this time, Angelou fell in love with South African human rights activist Vusumzi Make. Together, they moved to Cairo, Egypt, where Angelou became an associate editor for an English-language publication that provided news coverage in the Arab world.

Books Written by Maya Angelou (Photo: mayaangelou.com)

After parting ways with Make, Angelou moved to Accra, Ghana, where she formed a close bond with Malcolm X, who was spending an extended period there as part of his efforts to connect the Middle East and Africa. In 1965, Angelou returned to the United States to assist Malcolm X with his work, but he was tragically assassinated the following year. Disheartened, Angelou drifted through places like Hawaii and Los Angeles, singing, dancing, and writing as she sought to regain her footing.

“I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings” (1969)
In 1969, Angelou published I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings, a groundbreaking work in literary history. This memoir is revolutionary in many ways. It offers a powerful and poignant exploration of her early life, delving into themes of identity, trauma, and resilience, marking a significant moment in literary history. The memoir reflects deeply on her struggles and triumphs, highlighting her journey through adversity as she navigates racism, sexual assault, and the complexities of growing up.

Formally, I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings is an autobiography that recounts Maya Angelou’s life up until the age of 17. However, unlike most autobiographies, Angelou used novelistic techniques to craft characters, set dialogues, and unfold the narrative along thematic lines. Because of this approach, the book is sometimes classified as an “autobiographical novel.”

In Caged Bird, Angelou presents the adult voice of herself as the narrator, while also depicting her younger self, “Maya,” as a distinct character. Both the adult Angelou and young Maya are often referred to using the plural pronoun “we.” While autobiographies tend to be self-centered, this technique allows Angelou to weave together the various strands of her identity into a cohesive whole, distancing herself from the narrative and fostering a deeper connection with her readers.

The memoir was also groundbreaking in content. At the time, autobiographies written by women were rare, and an autobiography written by an African American woman was virtually unheard of. In Caged Bird, Angelou fearlessly depicted her reality, showing how Maya navigated through it. She introduced the identity of a Black woman as an independent and empowered individual, transcending the weight of the labels “Black” and “woman.” The life Maya lived was common for Black women of that era, yet it came as a shock to American society. The harsh truth of racial discrimination was far more vicious and insidious than many had realized. Through her memoir, Angelou exposed the cruel and pervasive nature of racism, challenging readers to confront its ugly reality.

Through sheer effort, Angelou’s grandmother managed to run a small store, yet she and others like her—poor, Black, and hardworking—were despised and ridiculed by the “poor white trash.” The only dentist in the neighborhood, a white man, had borrowed money from Angelou’s grandmother during the Great Depression to avoid bankruptcy, yet he refused to fix Maya’s decayed teeth. To escape the indiscriminate violence of the Ku Klux Klan’s attacks on Black people, Maya’s uncle had to hide in a vegetable crate. However, despite the immense hardships faced by Black people, they were not shown kindness simply because of their suffering. Vulnerable members of this community, like Maya, a young girl, were often exposed to sexual violence. Maya became mute as a result of this trauma, but through the power of literature and storytelling, she gradually found her voice. Over time, she developed a sense of self that allowed her to confront her harsh reality with dignity and resilience.

The response to I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings was explosive. The book remained on the New York Times nonfiction bestseller list for two years, setting a record for the longest-running bestseller. It became required reading in American high schools, and despite opposition from conservative parents who found its vivid depictions of violence and sexual abuse uncomfortable, it continues to be read as mandatory literature to this day.

Overcoming and Nurturing Life and Reality in Caged Bird:

The reality in Caged Bird is not simple. While white people oppress Black people, Black men oppress Black women, and Black adults assault Black children. The way to navigate these morally ambiguous challenges is to, like the bird in the cage that still sings, form a strong sense of self that seeks beauty beyond the harshness of reality.

This pursuit of transcendence and inner strength becomes the key to overcoming the hardships Angelou portrays in her memoir. As seen in Maya’s life, the path to self-formation is far from smooth. However, the self that is shaped through such hardship carries a much deeper resonance than one formed through a life without struggles. In her later years, Maya Angelou used this deep resonance to touch and heal the lives of many.

At the prestigious Wake Forest University, she taught not only literature but also subjects such as drama, philosophy, ethics, and theology. Her wisdom and experience enriched the lives of her students and others around her, continuing the powerful legacy she had cultivated throughout her life.

The “Elder” Who United Americans:
When Bill Clinton became president, Maya Angelou recited her poem (On the Pulse of Morning) at the inauguration, becoming the first poet to do so in 32 years since Kennedy’s inauguration.

In 2011, the U.S. government awarded Maya Angelou the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the highest honor given to civilians, recognizing her profound contributions to the nation and the world.

In a society like the United States, where individuals often remain isolated from one another and fail to function as a cohesive community, Maya Angelou served as a profound symbol of unity. She embraced the role of an elder, offering wisdom and compassion that transcended divisions. Angelou illuminated the oppression of race, gender, and class through her literature, wielding it as a powerful tool for social change. She is regarded as a pioneer who paved the way for Black women writers.

Through her life, she demonstrated the dignity and potential of humanity. Her work and legacy continue to inspire hope and courage in readers worldwide. Maya Angelou was not just a writer but also a human rights activist who brought hope to the oppressed and envisioned a just society. Her literature captures both the pain and beauty of life, emphasizing the importance of human resilience and solidarity.

“I believe that the most important single thing,

beyond discipline and creativity, is daring to dare.”

written by HeeSun

HeeSun is a poet and storybook writer who belongs to the UitC at the University of Toronto. She brings hope to people and brightens the world with beautiful poems, songs, and stories. She is a valued member of the Arts and Letters Club of Toronto and Pen International

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Maya Angelou Official Website. “Maya Angelou: The Legacy of an Extraordinary Life.” Accessed [Jan.10.2025]. https://www.mayaangelou.com.

Books by Maya Angelou:

Angelou, M. (1969). I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings. Random House.

Angelou, M. (1978). And Still I Rise. Random House.

Angelou, M. (1986). All God’s Children Need Traveling Shoes. Random House.

Websites: Biography.com Editors. (2022). “Maya Angelou Biography.”

Encyclopedia Britannica Editors. (2023). “Maya Angelou.”