Maya Angelou
Maya Angelou
Maya Angelouwas an American poet, memoirist, and civil rights activist. She published seven autobiographies, three books of essays, several books of poetry, and was credited with a list of plays, movies, and television shows spanning over 50 years. She received dozens of awards and more than 50 honorary 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, tells of her...
NationalityAmerican
ProfessionPoet
Date of Birth4 April 1928
CitySt. Louis, MO
CountryUnited States of America
When I forgive other people, I let them go, I free them from my ignorance. And as soon as I do, I feel lighter, brighter and better.
Dr. [Martin Luther] King was a human being. He had a sense of humor which was wonderful.
I don't think modesty is a very good virtue, if it is a virtue at all. A modest person will drop the modesty in a minute. It's a learned affectation.
My work is to be honest. My work is to try to think clearly, then have the courage to make sure that what I say is the truth.
If you happen to fall in love with someone in another race, it's more difficult, because you have to translate yourself.
It's very hard for adults to maintain respect and romance so that a love affair can be sustained over years.
It is better to control oneself, if one can, and not hit back. But on certain occasions, it is imperative to defend oneself. I don't think it's fair to ask anybody not to defend herself or himself.
It is imperative that young white men and women study the black American history. It is imperative that blacks and whites study the Asian American history.
Try, start always at home. This is my encouragement to all writers, start at home. All virtues and vices begin at home, and then spread abroad.
People feel guilty. And guilt is stymieing. Guilt immobilizes. Guilt closes the air ducts and the veins, and makes people ignorant.
Those who have something to say accept the fact that that's lonely. One already knows that there will be adversaries.
Intelligence is a separate gift, for the benefit of students, so that they may think of themselves as intellectual and not very intelligent, or intelligent and not very intellectual. One hopes, of course, that they try to bring the two virtues, the two elements, into their lives at the same time.
Because of technological breakthroughs, the society will need fewer and fewer unskilled laborers.
Courage, I don't think anybody is born with courage. I think you may be born with a flair to braggadocio, you know. That's not courage.