Maya Angelou Dies at Age 86
 |
| PHOTO: Dr. Maya Angelou delivers poetry to an audience of Tufts University students at the Somerville Theatre in this April 28, 1997 file photo. |
Famed poet and author Maya Angelou died this morning in North Carolina. She was 86.
"She'd been very frail and had heart problems, but she was going strong,
finishing a new book," Angelou's agent Helen Brann told ABC News. "I
spoke to her yesterday. She was fine, as she always was. Her spirit was
indomitable."
Angelou recently canceled an appearance at the 2014 MLB Beacon Awards
Luncheon, where she will be honored. Major League Baseball cited "health
reasons" Friday in saying the 86-year-old won't make it to the May 30
event in Houston before the annual Civil Rights Game, the Associated
Press reported last Friday.
"Her family is extremely grateful that her ascension was not belabored
by a loss of acuity or comprehension. She lived a life as a teacher,
activist, artist and human being. She was a warrior for equality,
tolerance and peace. The family is extremely appreciative of the time we
had with her and we know that she is looking down upon us with love,"
Angelou's son Guy Johnson said in a statement.
Born Marguerite Annie Johnson in St. Louis, Angelou worked a number of
jobs before publishing her first book, "I Know Why the Caged Bird
Sings," which focused on her own life, in 1969.
Nominated for a National Book Award, the tome skyrocketed Angelou to
national fame -- especially given the controversial nature of several
sections, which dealt with child molestation, racism, and sexuality.
"I thought that it was a mild book. There's no profanity," Angelou told
AP. "It speaks about surviving, and it really doesn't make ogres of many
people. I was shocked to find there were people who really wanted it
banned, and I still believe people who are against the book have never
read the book."
After the success of her first book, Angelous wrote the screenplay and
score for the 1972 film, "Georgia, Georgia," becoming the first
African-American woman to author a screenplay that was filmed. It was
nominated for the Pulitzer Prize.
She would go on to write more than 30 published works, including five more memoirs and many books of poetry.
Beloved by stars, Angelou was a mentor to Oprah Winfrey and favorite of
many presidents. She spoke at the inauguration of President Bill Clinton
and was awarded the Presidential Medal of the Arts in 2000. In 2011,
President Barack Obama honored her with the Presidential Medal of
Freedom.
Last November, ABC News spoke with Angelou, who lived in in
Winston-Salem because of her longtime teaching job at Wake Forest
University.
"I'm learning that I have patience and that patience is a great gift,"
she said. "I know that people only do what they know to do. Not what
they say they know, not what they think they should know. ... People do
only what they know how to do, so I have patience. I pray that people
will have patience with themselves and learn more."
Her last tweet:
Comments
Post a Comment
Thanks for commenting. You email address and IP Address has been recorded for future reference. any anonymous comment which is deemed abusive will be removed and investigated for further action.