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The list of Maya Angelou’s accomplishments is exhaustive: winning three Grammys, being able to speak 6 languages, director, actress, playwright, poet, and etc. Angelou defied a single label, yet Maya Angelou’s demeanor and patience were what remained constant with the many individuals she met with. From a friend’s experience with Angelou in a seminar she taught, to interviews with comedian Dave Chappelle, Angelou’s messages of connection and candid vulnerability were ubiquitous.
Angelou, being a pioneering poet, and Chappelle as one of the biggest comedians of his generation, the pairing seemed misplaced. Chappelle had just come back from walking away from his 50 million dollar contract and his trip to Africa, and he spoke with Angelou about concerns over his rock star status as a comedian and that his on-stage persona and his personal messages were becoming indistinguishable. It astounded me seeing these two brilliant, yet contrasting, artists simply sit down and open up to one another. The ten minute interview with Chappelle not only illustrates the care and deliberation Angelou puts into her words, but the unconditional kindness and wisdom she wants to pass onto her audience. Whether Angelou was speaking at a seminar or candidly talking in an interview, her words and literary works provided a focused, yet universal language that moved people in a profound way.
From Maya Angelou’s work and crusade for the American Civil Rights Movement and literary works like “Why The Caged Bird Sings,” changed how we see the genre today. Angelou writing and laying bare the atrocities she had faced, coupled with writing in the 60s and 70s as an African-American woman, gave a voice to the many that felt they had none. Revealing her struggle helped create a universal language that resonated in unexpected ways: struggles with body image, making new friends, connecting with one another, and in trusting your own voice.
