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Maya Angelou

Author, Poet

1928–2014

Biography

Maya Angelou (April 4, 1928 – May 28, 2014) was an American poet, memoirist, and civil rights activist, celebrated for her series of seven autobiographies, starting with "I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings" (1969). This seminal work, which details her early life and personal struggles, garnered international acclaim and was nominated for the National Book Award. Angelou also made significant contributions to literature and the arts, including her 1971 Pulitzer Prize-nominated poetry collection "Just Give Me a Cool Drink of Water 'fore I Diiie". In 1993, she recited her poem "On the Pulse of Morning" at President Bill Clinton's inauguration, making her the first poet to perform at a presidential inauguration since Robert Frost.

About

Born April 4, 1928

Died May 28, 2014

Birthplace St. Louis, Missouri, USA

Nationality American

Education No formal education

Resting Place Wake Forest University, Winston-Salem, North Carolina, USA

Popular Quotes

"Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away."

Inspiration Life Meaning Appreciation

"We delight in the beauty of the butterfly, but rarely admit the changes it has gone through to achieve that beauty."

Inspiration Resilience Growth Change

"If you don't like something, change it. If you can't change it, change your attitude."

Motivation Personal growth Self-improvement Resilience

"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."

Relationships Empathy Compassion Kindness

"There is nothing so pitiful as a young cynic."

Philosophy Wisdom Life lessons Hope

"The quality of strength lined with tenderness is an unbeatable combination."

Resilience Strength Empathy Compassion

"Love is like a virus. It can happen to anybody at any time."

Love Relationships Connection Emotion

"The ache for home lives in all of us."

Identity Nostalgia Comfort Longing

"Never make someone a priority when all you are to them is an option."

Wisdom Relationships Priorities Boundaries

"Hope is born again in the faces of children."

Inspiration Positivity Hope Optimism

"Be a rainbow in someone else’s cloud."

Motivation Inspiration Positivity Compassion

"Each person deserves a day away in which no problems are confronted."

Mindfulness Relaxation Wellbeing Rest

"I've learned that you shouldn't go through life with a catcher's mitt on both hands."

Personal growth Self-improvement Personal development Life lessons

"You can't really know where you are going until you know where you have been."

Personal growth Wisdom Self-awareness Reflection

"There's a world of difference between truth and facts."

Philosophy Wisdom Perception Knowledge

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