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Top 10 Fascinating Facts about Maya Angelou

Maya Angelou was an American poet, memoirist and civil rights activist. She was known for her empowering writing and inspirational words of encouragement. She was best known for her autobiographical series of books, including “I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings,” which tells the story of her childhood in the segregated South. Her writing often focused on issues of race, gender, and identity, and she was a prominent voice in the feminist and civil rights movements. The poet was a remarkable woman whose legacy will be carried on through generations since her passing in 2014 at 84 years old.

Her writings provide powerful messages about self-identity and resilience which continue to inspire many people around the world to this day. In addition to her writing, Angelou was a singer, dancer and actress, and she appeared in several films and television shows. She is widely regarded as one of the most important and influential writers of the 20th century and received numerous honours and awards for her works. We hope these 10 fascinating facts about Maya Angelou.

1.  What’s in a Name?

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Maya Angelou was born Marguerite Annie Johnson on April 4, 1928, in St. Louis, Missouri. She changed her name to Maya Angelou for her professional career. Maya Angelou chose her stage name by combining her childhood nickname “Maya” (which was given to her by her older brother, Bailey) with a shortened version of her former husband’s surname, “Angelos.” She liked the way the name flowed and felt that it captured her unique identity as a writer and performer. In her memoir “I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings,” Angelou wrote about how she struggled with her sense of identity and belonging as a young Black woman growing up in the segregated South. She saw her name change as an act of self-creation, a way of asserting her own identity and claiming her own space in the world.

2. Maya Angelou was Mute for Several Years in her Childhood

When Maya Angelou was a child, she experienced a traumatic event that led her to stop speaking. At the age of seven, Angelou was raped by her mother’s boyfriend, and after she told her brother about the incident, the man was arrested and later beaten to death by a mob. In the aftermath of the trauma, Angelou became selectively mute and did not speak for several years. She communicated with others through writing, reading and observing the world around her.

During this time, she developed a love of literature and discovered the power of words to convey meaning and emotion. Angelou’s experiences during her childhood, including her trauma and her struggle with mutism, are a major theme in her writing, and she often wrote about the resilience and strength required to overcome such adversity. Her ability to find her voice and use it to inspire and empower others has been a significant part of her legacy.

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3. Fascinating Fact about Maya Angelou; She is a School Drop- Out

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She dropped out of school but still managed to become one of the most celebrated women in literature and activism. Maya Angelou, the celebrated American author, poet, and civil rights activist, dropped out of school at a young age. She became pregnant at the age of 16 and, as a result, decided to leave school to focus on her new role as a mother. However, despite not having a formal education, Angelou was a voracious reader and continued to educate herself through books and life experiences. She later became a successful writer, publishing numerous acclaimed works, including “I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings,” which is widely regarded as a classic of African American literature.

4. Angelou Connected with both MLK Jr. and Malcolm X

Maya Angelou was a prominent civil rights activist and writer, but there is some dispute over whether she worked directly with both Martin Luther King Jr. and Malcolm X during the Civil Rights Movement. Maya Angelou was a close friend and supporter of Martin Luther King Jr., and she worked as the northern coordinator for the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC) in the early 1960s. She also organized fundraising events for the organization and worked with other activists to promote voter registration and civil rights. In her autobiography, “I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings,” Angelou describes meeting Malcolm X in Ghana in the early 1960s.

However, there is no evidence to suggest that she worked directly with him during the Civil Rights Movement. It’s worth noting that Malcolm X and Martin Luther King Jr. had different approaches to civil rights activism, with Malcolm X advocating for more aggressive and confrontational tactics, while King favoured nonviolent resistance. As a result, many activists aligned more closely with one leader or the other. While Angelou had connections to both men, her close association with King suggests that she may not have worked closely with Malcolm X.

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5.  She Married a South African Freedom Fighter

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Maya Angelou was actually married to a South African civil rights activist and freedom fighter named Vusumzi L. Make. They were married in 1960 and lived together for a brief period of time in Cairo, Egypt, where Make was involved in anti-apartheid work. Make also held the position of lecturer at the University of Liberia in Monrovia, Liberia from 1968 to 1974, and was a member of the American Committee on Africa. Make’s banishment order was withdrawn on 16 August 1967. Angelou and Make’s marriage ended in divorce in 1963, but Angelou continued to be involved in civil rights activism throughout her life.

6. Angelou also made Significant Contributions to the American Film Industry

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Maya Angelou did make important contributions to the film industry as well. She wrote the screenplay and composed the score for the 1972 film “Georgia, Georgia,” which was directed by Swedish filmmaker Stig Björkman. Although the film was not a commercial success, it was groundbreaking in its portrayal of an interracial love story and its exploration of themes related to race and identity. Angelou also acted in several films and television shows throughout her career, including the landmark 1977 miniseries “Roots.” Her impact on American culture and her role as a trailblazing figure for women and people of colour in the arts cannot be overstated.

7.  The Presidential Poet

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Maya Angelou recited a poem at a presidential inauguration. On January 20, 1993, she recited her poem “On the Pulse of Morning” at the inauguration of President Bill Clinton. It was the first time a poet had spoken at a presidential inauguration since Robert Frost at the inauguration of John F. Kennedy in 1961. “On the Pulse of Morning” is a powerful and uplifting poem that speaks to the hope and promise of a new day, and it is widely regarded as one of Maya Angelou’s most celebrated works. Angelou, like Clinton, had grown up in Arkansas, and that chilly January day in 1993 consecrated the poet in the eyes of Americans for decades to come. Angelou also read a poem for President George W. Bush, when she recited Amazing Peace at the 2005 Christmas tree lighting ceremony at the White House.

8.  She Received Many Honorary Degrees

Maya Angelou was a highly respected and celebrated author, poet and civil rights activist who received many honorary degrees in her lifetime. Over the course of her career, Angelou received more than 50 honorary degrees from colleges and universities around the world. Some of the institutions that awarded her honorary degrees include Harvard University, Princeton University, Yale University, Georgetown University and the University of Michigan, among many others. Angelou’s remarkable achievements and contributions to literature, as well as her advocacy for civil rights, made her a highly regarded figure in academia. Her recognition through honorary degrees is a testament to the impact she had on American culture and society.

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9. President Obama Feted Her!

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The American poet, memoirist and civil rights activist received numerous awards and honours throughout her life in recognition of her contributions to literature and social justice. One of her most notable honours was the Presidential Medal of Freedom, which she received in 2011 from President Barack Obama. This is the highest civilian award in the United States, and it recognizes individuals who have made significant contributions to the country’s culture, politics, or society. In addition to the Presidential Medal of Freedom, Angelou was also awarded numerous other honours, including three Grammy Awards for her spoken-word albums, the National Medal of Arts, the Lincoln Medal and was also inducted into the National Women’s Hall of Fame in 1998.

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10. Maya Angelou Fascinating Fact:  She Mastered Many Languages

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Maya Angelou was a talented writer, poet, and civil rights activist, but she was not known to be a polyglot. A polyglot is someone who speaks multiple languages fluently, and while Maya Angelou did speak multiple languages, she was not known to be fluent in more than one or two. Maya Angelou was fluent in English, which was her native language, and also had a good command of French, which she learned while living in Africa. She also had some knowledge of Spanish, Italian, and West African Fanti, which she learned during her travels and studies. While Maya Angelou did have an interest in learning languages and was exposed to different languages and cultures throughout her life, she was primarily known for her writing and poetry in the English language.