American poet, memoirist, and civil rights activist Maya Angelou – a truly phenomenal woman who left an indelible mark on the world map.
While Angelou’s fame may have been brought about by her deeply reverberating inspiring words, her legacy transcends beyond the literary world.
In 1944, at age 16, a young Maya Angelou, encouraged by her mother, Vivian Baxter began her journey to become a streetcar conductor.
“I loved the uniforms.”
“I saw women on the street cars with their little changer belts… And they had caps with bills on them and they had form-fitting jackets,” Angelou had recalled in a May 2013 “Super Soul Sunday” interview with famed host, Oprah Winfrey.
Maya Angelou published seven autobiographies, three books of essays, several books of poetry, and is 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.
Her most famed book, I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings,
The prolific author died 28 May 2014, Winston-Salem, North Carolina, United States.
