Dr. Maya Angelou

In Memoriam: Maya Angelou;

April 4,1928- May 28, 2014

Maya Angelou was born Marguerite Ann Johnson on April 4, 1928 in Saint Louis, Missouri. She was a prolific African-American author, poet, dancer ; occasionally partnering with Alvin Ailey, singer, actress, memoirist, poet, director, and cook . In her 70’s she added cookbook author when she published Hallelujah! The Welcome Table: A Lifetime of Memories with Recipes. She published seven autobiographies, three books of essays, and several books of poetry, and is credited with a list of plays, movies, and television shows spanning more than fifty years.

She received dozens of awards and over 30 honorary doctoral degrees. She was nominated for a Tony, and a Pulitzer; she won three Grammys for her spoken word albums.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 (1969), tells of her life up to the age of seventeen, and brought her international recognition and acclaim. Dr.Maya received two Presidential awards in her lifetime. In 2000, former President , Bill Clinton awarded her the Presidential National Medal Of Arts; years earlier, at his request , she had written him a poem for his first term inauguration in 1993. In 2011, President Barack Obama presented Dr. Maya Angelou with a Presidential Medal Of Freedom.

She was a mother, grandmother, mentor and an activist. She was a powerful voice whose words and influence will long resonate. But above all, Maya Angelou was a phenomenal woman and an amazing gift to humanity.