Dreamers: Maya Angelou

Episode Summary

The podcast episode focuses on the life and accomplishments of Maya Angelou, the renowned African American poet, author, actress, and civil rights activist. Maya Angelou overcame trauma and adversity in her early life to become an influential creative voice and advocate for justice. She was born Marguerite Johnson in St. Louis, Missouri in 1928. As a child, she experienced sexual abuse and trauma, which she poignantly described in her first autobiography, I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings. Angelou demonstrated resilience and perseverance, studying dance and becoming involved in the civil rights movement. She worked with leaders like Martin Luther King, Jr. and wrote poetry expressing the struggles and hopes of African Americans. Angelou made significant contributions to literature, television, film, and theater. She published seven autobiographical books and several books of poetry. Her screenplay Georgia, Georgia was the first by an African American woman to be produced as a feature film. She acted in productions like Roots and composed poetry for presidential inaugurations. Angelou received over 50 honorary degrees and won numerous awards, including the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2011. In her 86 years of life, Maya Angelou inspired people with her words and advocacy. Despite trauma and oppression, she spread messages of hope and empowerment through creative expression. Angelou left behind an exceptional legacy as an artist and human rights defender.

Episode Show Notes

In honor of July 4th, today's dreamer is Maya Angelou (1928-2014), American poet, singer, memoirist, and civil rights activist.

Episode Transcript

SPEAKER_00: Reboot your credit card with Apple Card. It gives you unlimited daily cash back that can earn 4.15% annual percentage yield when you open a savings account. A high yield, low effort way to grow your money with no fees. Apply for Apple Card now in the Wallet app on iPhone to start earning and growing your daily cash with savings today. Apple Card subject to credit approval. Savings is available to Apple Card owners subject to eligibility. Savings accounts by Goldman Sachs Bank USA. Member FDIC, terms apply. SPEAKER_02: Sick of paying $100 for groceries and getting nothing but eggs, orange juice, and a paper bag? Then download the Drop app. Drop lets you earn points with your everyday shopping and redeem them for gift cards. Want a free dinner with those groceries? Drop it. How about daily lattes? Drop it. So download Drop today and get $5 just for signing up. Use invite code GETDROP777. SPEAKER_06: My name is Diana Hock and I'm an operations manager at Morgan & Morgan. At Morgan & Morgan, we've made it really easy. Anything that we need from you, you're able to do from the comfort of your home. You can just dial pound law and you talk to someone like me. SPEAKER_08: If you or any one of your family has been injured, call Morgan & Morgan, America's largest injury law firm. We've collected over $15 billion for our clients. It's easy. Visit forthepeople.com for an office near you. SPEAKER_05: Many people wonder where my secret lies. I'm not cute or built to suit a fashion model size. When I start to tell them, they think I'm telling lies. I say, it's in the reach of my arms, the span of my hips, the stride of my step, the curl of my lips. I'm a woman, phenomenally. SPEAKER_03: I'm a woman. I'm a woman. I'm a woman. I'm a woman. production of George Gershwin's opera, Porgy and Bess. The production toured all over the world, hitting 22 countries in Europe and Africa. Maya also studied dance with dance legends, Martha Graham and Pearl Primus. She was heavily involved in the civil rights movement. And in 1959, Maya became the Northern coordinator for the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, the civil rights organization, at the personal behest of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. In 1961, Maya acted in Jean Genet's play, The Blacks, before moving to Cairo with a South African dissident to whom she was briefly married. In Cairo, Maya worked as a reporter at the Arab Observer. She then moved to Ghana and worked at the African Revue. Maya returned to the US in the late 1960s. Her first book, I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings, was released in 1969 and it was nominated for a National Book Award. Maya was extremely busy in the 1970s. Her first collection of poetry entitled, Just Give Me a Cool Drink of Water Before I Die, was published in 1971. The following year, Maya became the first African American woman to have a screenplay produced as a feature film for the movie, Georgia, Georgia. She also wrote the film soundtrack. Through the rest of the decade, two more of Maya's autobiographical books were published, Gather Together in My Name and Singin' and Swingin' and Gettin' Merry Like Christmas. And her second collection of poetry called, And Still I Rise, was released. SPEAKER_04: Leaving behind nights of terror and fear, I rise. Into a daybreak miraculously clear, I rise. Bringing the gifts that my ancestors gave. I am the hope and the dream of the slave. And so, naturally, there I go rising. SPEAKER_03: Maya was also appointed by President Gerald Ford to the Bicentennial Commission and later by President Jimmy Carter to the Commission for International Woman of the Year. Maya also continued her acting career, appealing on stage and in several TV shows, including the iconic miniseries, Roots. Maya was often referred to as Dr. Angelou, despite the fact that she hadn't gone to college. Over the course of her life, however, she received more than 50 honorary degrees from some of the world's most prestigious universities. And in 1981, she was given a lifetime appointment as a professor of American Studies at Wake Forest University in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. That same year, she also released her third autobiographical book, The Heart of a Woman. For the next 33 years, Maya's pace of work continued. She published three more memoirs, two more collections of poetry, a book of meditations, several children's books, and an anecdote-driven book of advice. She also continued to act and became a director. Maya was asked to compose and deliver poems for Bill Clinton's 1993 presidential inauguration and the 50th anniversary of the United Nations. She was also commissioned by the US State Department to write the poem, His Day is Done, as an elegy for former South African President Nelson Mandela. In 2011, Maya Angelou was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by President Barack Obama. Maya died on the morning of May 28th, 2014, in Winston-Salem. Despite the fact that she'd been sick and had canceled scheduled appearances, she was still working on another book at the time. During her memorial service at Wake Forest, Maya's son said, quote, "'She left this mortal plane with no loss of acuity "'and no loss in comprehension.' Maya Angelou's poetry and literature have become part of the great American canon. Her work explores themes of economic, racial, and sexual oppression, and draws from her incredible personal experiences. Tune in tomorrow for the story of another amazing dreamer. This month of Encyclopedia Womanica is brought to you by Casper. Casper mattresses and products let today's dreamers get the sleep they need to turn their ideas into reality. Special thanks to Liz Kaplan, my favorite sister, and the amazing brain behind this collection of women. Talk to you tomorrow. SPEAKER_07: AT&T and Verizon lure you in with their best phone offers, only to lock you into a three-year phone contract, not at T-Mobile. Now, with T-Mobile's best Go 5G plans, upgrade when you want. Every year or every two, you decide. Visit T-Mobile.com to take charge of your upgrades. SPEAKER_01: Get two-year financing on Go 5G Plus and Next. One-year upgrade on Go 5G Next requires financing new qualifying device and upgrading in good condition after six plus months with 50% paid off. Upgrade ends financing in any promo credits. See T-Mobile.com. SPEAKER_09: Do you hear it? The clock is ticking. It's time for the new season of 60 Minutes. The CBS News Sunday Night tradition is back for its 56th season with all new big name interviews, hard-hitting investigations, and epic adventures. No place, no one, no story is off limits, and you'll always learn something new. It's time for 60 Minutes. New episode airs Sunday, September 24th on CBS and streaming on Paramount+. SPEAKER_10: Live Nation presents Depeche Mode Live. The Memento Mori World Tour is coming to a city near you this fall. Reception to the Memento Mori Tour has been overwhelming with shows selling out across Europe and North America with over two million tickets sold. Going coast to coast starting September 29th in Austin and concluding with four nights in Los Angeles this December. Don't miss the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Class of 2020 inductees. On tour now. Depeche Mode on the Memento Mori World Tour. For cities and ticket information, head to LiveNation.com.