Celeberating 80 years of a phenominal woman

"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."

On Friday, Maya Angelou turned 80. In her honor and in honor of all that she has inspired, I would like to take a few minutes to celebrate the life of this phenomenal woman.

I do not use “woman” casually, as Dr. Angelou has made clear that she believes the term to be more than an indication of gender.

“There is a world of difference between being a woman and being an old female. If you're born a girl, grow up, and live long enough, you can become an old female. But, to become a woman is a serious matter. A woman takes responsibility for the time she takes up and the space she occupies.”

She wrote those words about Hillary Clinton, whom she steadfastly supports. But it takes one to know one. And Maya Angelou certainly has been a good steward of her own time and space, encouraging us all at every turn to press on, to speak out, to rise up.


Her journey, as we know, has not been easy. She has written a six-volume autobiographical series describing her sometimes horrific, sometimes wild life. Understanding her past makes her present even more remarkable.



Maya Angelou is hailed as one of the great voices of contemporary literature and as a remarkable Renaissance woman. A renowned poet, educator, historian, best-selling author, actress, playwright, civil rights activist, producer and director, Dr. Angelou travels the world spreading her legendary wisdom.



A mesmerizing vision of grace, swaying and stirring when she moves and talks, Dr. Angelou lyrically captivates her audiences with her unique brand of vigor, fire and perception. She has the uncommon ability to shatter the opaque prisms of race and class in a broad range of literary venues, both spoken and unspoken. Dr. Angelou’s numerous books of poetry, non-fiction and fiction, as well as her autobiographical works and audio-visual presentations, are indicative of her extraordinary vision and unquestionable significance on the national and international scenes.


Born in 1928, Dr. Angelou originally trained to be a dancer and an actress. During the 1950s and 1960s, she appeared in a touring company of “Porgy and Bess,” recorded an album of calypso music, and wrote plays and musicals. In 1970, urged on by James Baldwin and other friends who had heard her tell stories of her childhood, she published the autobiographical I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings. This work was a bestseller and was nominated for a National Book Award and a Pulitzer Prize.


Its success launched her literary career, which now includes over twenty works of autobiography, poetry, fiction, and works for children. Dr. Angelou also appeared in the landmark miniseries “Roots” in 1977, and in 1998, she made her directorial film debut with “Down in the Delta.”

Today, we celebrate who she has become: author, poet, historian, actor, singer, conductor, songwriter, playwright, film director, dancer, radio host, greeting card writer, professor, civil rights activist. (Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated on Dr. Angelou's 40th birthday.)

She is fluent in Spanish, French, Italian, Arabic and Fanti and has dozens of honorary degrees, although she never went to college. She relishes being called “Dr. Angelou.” She adores cooking, reading and laughing with friends. And she is not even close to slowing down.

I've had the good fortune to hear Dr. Angelou in person once. I knew her work superficially, but was unprepared for her presence. That smooth, rich voice completely captivated me.

Another one of my heroes, Robin Roberts, did a wonderful interview with Dr. Angelou that aired this week; watching it will make you feel like celebrating Maya Angelou — and yourself. And it will make you very grateful to live in the same world as this phenomenally phenomenal woman. You should view the video to get the full pictue of what I mean.

Click here to view the interview: Interview with Good Morning America



In the light of all that is going on in my life and in the world, my favorite quote reigns true:

My life has been one great big joke, a dance that's walked a song that's spoke, I laugh so hard I almost choke when I think about myself.
Maya Angelou

This is humility at its finest. I love it, and love you. Enough said.