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
Light and shadow are opposite sides of the same coin. We can illuminate our paths or darken our way. It is a matter of choice.
Hope does not take away your problems. It can lift you above them.
I come as one, but stand as 10,000.
Words are things. You must be careful, careful about calling people out of their names, using racial pejoratives and sexual pejoratives and all that ignorance. Don’t do that. Some day we’ll be able to measure the power of words. I think they are things. They get on the walls. They get in your wallpaper. They get in your rugs, in your upholstery, and your clothes, and finally in to you.
Each time a woman stands up for herself, without knowing it possibly, without claiming it, she stands up for all women.
I did what I knew.. when I knew better, I did better
The fact that the adult American Negro female emerges a formidable character is often met with amazement, distaste and even belligerance. It is seldom accepted as an inevitable outcome of the struggle won by survivors, and deserves respect if not enthusiastic acceptance.
The truth is, no one of us can be free until everybody is free.
If we lose love and self respect for each other, this is how we finally die.
The ache for home lives in all of us, the safe place where we can go as we are and not be questioned.
The love of the family, the love of one person can heal. It heals the scars left by a larger society. A massive, powerful society.
Hope for the best, be prepared for the worse. Life is shocking, but you must never appear to be shocked. For no matter how bad it is it could be worse and no matter how good it is it could be better.
Writing and cookery are just two different means of communication.
If I insist on being pessimistic, there is always tomorrow. Today I am blessed.