MayaAngelou

Her views on how powerful

words

can be through poetry

Blondell Tolbert

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Y

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ANGELOU

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Maya Angelou has changed the course of many people’s lives. She brought a form of abuse into the open, and made it more acceptable. By showing us her personal tragedy in I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings, she broke many barriers in today’s society. Also, she made literary history in writing poems that didn’t rhyme, but had a beauty that was unsurpassable.

Maya Angelou’s powerful words Words

Dr. Angelou continually speaks out against the racism in our country 100 years ago and today. She wants everyone to be treated equally and justly. With her rich words and majestic dignity, Dr. Maya Angelou has changed the face of lower-class America and become an legacy worldwide.

Maya’s powerful words

Dr. Angelou always had an abundance of confidence. She took a horrible childhood trauma and created an inspiring legacy out of it. Dr. Angelou, who looks into the face of adversity and says, “You won’t break me.”

There is no greater agony than

bearing an untold story inside you.

Dr. Angelou

All About Angelou

Maya Angelou’s real name is Marguerite Johnson. She was born April 4, 1928 in the segregated state of Arkansas. When She was seven, Maya was raped by her mother’s boyfriend: and later she told on him. When he was on trial she testified against him.

All About Angelou

She had been raped by this man and after the trial some of her uncles kicked him to death. She thought that her words had killed him so she quit talking. Maya felt guilty for her testimony. Marguerite came out of her shell after a while and went on to college. This incident prompted her to later write the poem ‘I Know Why The Caged Birds Sing’.

All About Angelou

Maya began her career professionally in dance and drama. Angelou then found herself in South Africa, where she met her husband. He was a freedom fighter that lived in Cairo.

In the 1960s Ms. Angelou was back in the United States, and by this time Angelou had made herself a popular civil rights activist.

All About Angelou

Once she got settled back into the Afro-American situation in the U.S. she mustered up some courage and became quite the civil rights activist. This caught the attention of another activist.This someone was none other than Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. He requested for her to be the northern coordinator for the Southern Christian Leadership Conference.(SCLC)

All About Angelou

Maya become a groundbreaker for black women through her script writing and directing. “I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings,” ended up becoming a CBS two-hour special. She was also nominated for an Emmy for her work in the movie Roots.

All About Angelou

Over the years Maya has won a Pulitzer Prize and numerous National Book Award nominations. Dr. Angelou is now a professor at Wake Forest University teaching African Americans Studies.

Being a poet, historian, author, actor, civil rights activist, producer and director, Maya Angelou has definitely earned her claim to fame.

Maya Angelou’s works and what they mean:

• Phenomenal Woman: This poem was written to affirm the

strong woman she is. • Willie:

Maya wrote Her uncle Willie and how his physical disabilities effected him and his life.

• Averi Merci, Mother:

Maya wrote this poem to tell how she felt about her mother Vivian.

• Contemporary Announcement:

In this poem Maya wrote about how life be good one minute and bad the next.

• My life has turned to Blue:

This poem was written to tell her views on her heartache and failed relationships.

• I know why the caged birds sing:

Maya felt really sad for the caged birds, and thought that they were singing for their freedom.

• Still I Rise:

Here Maya Angelou was making a tribute to her ability to rise above anything that happens to her or will happen to her.

Maya Angelou’s type of Poetry:

• It tells a story,with no dialogue, or rhymes.

• She uses her experiences to help others.

• It gives you in dept insight into what she’s talking about.

• Her poetry is emotional and spiritual.

Dr. Maya Angelo wrote poems about her family and the effects they had on her. She wrote about her character as a person, how the effects life had on her made her a better person. Her emotions and words were so powerful that people could relate and felt better about themselves also. Her words gave people the strength to know they can rise above anything.

Time Frame: 1950s - Present

Occupation:

A Professor At Wake Forest

If one is lucky, a solitary fantasy can totally transform a million realities. - Maya Angelou

Blondell Tolbert

There is a line between loving life and being greedy for it.

- Maya Angelou