Words Of Maya Angelou example essay topic

Maya Angelou was raised in segregated rural Arkansas. She is a poet, historian, author, actress, playwright, civil-rights activist, producer and director. She lectures throughout the United States and abroad and is Reynolds professor of American Studies at Wake Forest University in North Carolina since 1981. She has published ten best selling books and numerous magazine articles earning her Pulitzer Prize and National Book Award nominations. At the request of President Clinton, she wrote and delivered a poem at his 1993 Presidential Inauguration. She also wrote and delivered a poem in 1995 titled 'A Brave and Startling Truth' in honor of the 50th anniversary of the United Nations.

Dr. Angelou, who speaks French, Spanish, Italian and West African Fanti, began her career in drama and dance. She married a South African freedom fighter and lived in Cairo where she was editor of The Arab Observer, the only English-language news weekly in the Middle East. In Ghana, she was the feature editor of The African Review and taught at the University of Ghana. In the 1960's, at the request of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Ms. Angelou became the northern coordinator for the Southern Christian Leadership Conference. She was appointed by President Gerald Ford to the Bicentennial Commission and by President Jimmy Carter to the National Commission on the Observance of International Women's Year. On the evening of Monday, October 28th, 2002, this great woman visited the faculty, staff, students and guests at Rutgers University.

To enter the little gymnasium on College Avenue, where the event would be held and would eventually house nearly 2,000 people, everyone needed a ticket, a ticket that I did not have because they had sold out so quickly. Nevertheless, I was determined to be there. So I adorned myself in the appropriate attire, left my apartment, and at 6: 45 found myself on College Avenue in a line that spanned from the doors of the gym all the way to Au Bon Pain. No one seemed to care that it was 30^0 outside that night. Up and down the line you could hear snippets of conversations resonating excitement and anticipation of the night's event. For some who had seen Dr. Angelou in the past it would be an added treat, but for me it would be a first.

I was going through ideas of things to say to the door person so they would let me in without a ticket. At 7: 00 doors opened and the line begin to dwindle. The closer I got to the door the more nervous I was, hoping that I would not be rejected. As I approached the door I was greeted by a tall dark woman with a beautiful smile.

Her hand was outstretched as to be reaching for a ticket, but I had nothing to offer. I looked at her genuinely sincere and said 'I do not have a ticket, but I need to be here. Please don't turn me away. ' I believe this woman was impacted by my sincerity, or maybe it was the puppy eyes, but she let me in with no trouble. Needless to say I was truly grateful. The worst was over and I could then find a seat with a good view and just wait for the commencement of the program.

Promptly at 8: 00 the program began with an introduction of the speaker. As Dr. Angelou was escorted in by RUP D Officer Washington, we all arose to welcome her and attest to her greatness. Her steps were short and slow with the aid of a cane. She explained later in the night that she had bad knees so I see why it was necessary for her.

At 75 years old she stood tall like an oak tree, voice deep, eyes wise. I was hanging on her every word as she began to speak. Employing her linguistic skills, she opened up with medley of French, Spanish, Italian and Arabic songs. She then proceeded to read the poetry of other authors, adding personal narrative in between each poem. She stressed the importance of reading African-American poetry and said that when we read it we, no matter what race or creed, will be able to see something in common with the poems and relate with them on some level. She taught us about being composers of the future, the sculptors of the world to come.

She also admonished us to visit the library and to speak to the librarian because librarians are often looked over as important people in our society and their discipline is just as intensely studied as any other discipline. As she continued to speak the energy in the crowd was remarkable. She took us from one extreme to the next, from laughing at her subtle jokes to veneration of her sage words, all the while emitting an aura of inde script measure; it was like talking to "Mom Mom". When all was said and done, I was hoping it had lasted longer, but glad that I had the opportunity to attend such an event. Truly, I was blessed by the words of Maya Angelou, and I have taken to heart all that she said that evening.