Maya Angelou, best known for her work as a poet and civil rights activist, published seven autobiographies, three book essays, poetry and is credited with a list of plays, movies, and television shows spanning more than 50 years. She published the memoir “I Know Why the Caged Sings” in 1969, which recalls her childhood experiences growing up in Arkansas and becoming a mother at 16. Angelou was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2010 by President Obama, and was the first African American poet and first female poet to participate in a recitation for a U.S. president’s inauguration (Clinton – 1993). "By holding on even amid cruelty and loss, and then expanding to a sense of compassion, an ability to love – by holding on to her humanity, she has inspired countless others who have known injustice and misfortune in their own lives." – President Barack Obama

Angelou worked as a civil rights activist in the 60s, and it was after Martin Luther King Jr.’s assassination that she began work on her memoir – a book considered to have changed the nation and eventually the world, by giving a young black girl back her once lost voice.

Though Angelou died in 2014 at the age of 86, her legacy lives on today. She continues to inspire women and men, white and black, to see greatness in others, to help those around us to rise – despite living in a world that may tell them no. She was a great storyteller, an applauded humanitarian, and a brilliant writer, who used her words to bring truth and authenticity back into people’s lives.

“Do the best you can until you know better. Then, when you know better, do better.” – Maya Angelou

Our hope for the books we share each month is that you will walk away feeling a little bit more inspired, a bit more hopeful, and maybe a bit more enlightened. Share with us your thoughts on “I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings” and let us know if you have any suggestions for our Shoals Sphere books! Let’s continue to work together to initiate conversations and grow as a community!