American author, poet, historian and civil rights activist Maya Angelou has died at her home in North Carolina, USA, aged 86.
Angelou’s failing health had led to her cancelling an appearance at the Major League Baseball Beacon Awards this Friday, where she was to be honoured for her civil rights work.
Angelou leaves behind three books of essays, several books of poetry and seven autobiographies, but it was her 1969 memoir, I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings, that brought her international fame.
Angelou wrote a touching tribute poem to Nelson Mandela after his death late last year, “His Day is Done”.
Watch her read the poem here:
Click here to view the embedded video.
Angelou’s final tweet, from 23 May, seems prescient:
Listen to yourself and in that quietude you might hear the voice of God.
— Maya Angelou (@DrMayaAngelou) May 23, 2014
In honour of her birthday on April 3 this year, Writers Write shared 12 remarkable Maya Angelou quotes:
1. The honorary duty of a human being is to love.
2. I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.
3. Surviving is important. Thriving is elegant.
4. Talent is like electricity. We don’t understand electricity. We use it. You can plug into it and light up a lamp, keep a heart pump going, light a cathedral, or you can electrocute a person with it.
5. When someone shows you who they are, believe them the first time.
6. There’s a world of difference between truth and facts. Facts can obscure truth.
7. My mother said I must always be intolerant of ignorance but understanding of illiteracy. That some people, unable to go to school, were more educated and more intelligent than college professors.
8. Any book that helps a child to form a habit of reading, to make reading one of his deep and continuing needs, is good for him.
9. Life loves the liver of it.
10. The idea is to write it so that people hear it and it slides through the brain and goes straight to the heart.
11. When you learn, teach, when you get, give.
12. Some critics will write ‘Maya Angelou is a natural writer’ – which is right after being a natural heart surgeon.
Tributes have begun pouring in on Twitter:
"If you are always trying to be normal, you will never know how amazing you can be." Maya Angelou – who was utterly amazing.
— J.K. Rowling (@jk_rowling) May 28, 2014
Today we remember the remarkable life and work of #MayaAngelou. http://t.co/319ZD7adY1 pic.twitter.com/MyXWHBDnN5
— Penguin Books USA (@penguinusa) May 28, 2014
"I've lived my life as if I'm living it to earn awards": Maya Angelou, talking to @hugh_muir in 2012 http://t.co/3dD9WBz1RG
— Guardian Books (@GuardianBooks) May 28, 2014
“When the language … surrenders and says, I am yours, darling—that’s the best part.” RIP Maya Angelou http://t.co/kjG5T8o5ov
— The Paris Review (@parisreview) May 28, 2014
“Success is liking yourself, liking what you do, and liking how you do it.”
― Maya Angelou
— Timothy McSweeney (@mcsweeneys) May 28, 2014
"Have enough courage to trust love one more time and always one more time." – Maya Angelou
— harper (@harper) May 28, 2014
I've read almost every book she has written. I admired her jaw dropping honesty. RIP #MayaAngelou @ReadaBookSA @DrMayaAngelou @BooksLIVESA
— Vuyokazi Ngwenya (@VuyokaziNgwenya) May 28, 2014
RIP to a woman who gave voice to so many of our inner and shared experiences. Hamba Kahle Maya Angelou
— VanguardMagazine (@MissVanguard) May 28, 2014
Farewell, Maya.
Book details
- I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou
EAN: 9780345514400
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Image courtesy of mayaangelou.com