When you think of strong Black woman Maya Angelou is right up there at the top! Maya is a personal favorite of mine. I have never read her books or seen her movies? But, am not big on entertainment either! I have read articles, books about her and seen some of her interviews on different subjects and topics and she is mind blowing!
Maya Angelou is like the Goddess knowledge of the modern age! I strongly encourage others, especially young sister to youtube her interviews, she is the truth!
Maya Angelou Bio
I want talk about Maya life because ironically a lot of what she has went through a lot of younger sister are going through currently. Her life story touched me very much, and i think it will touch you also, this is why we must tell our own stories as Black people. I will not touch on Maya long and beautiful career, which is a beautiful topic within its self! But her life story will hit home for many!
Maya Angelou was born Margurite Ann Johnson. Born April 4th 1928 in St. Louis, Missouri. Maya has a older brother named Bailey Jr. He is one year older than Maya. It is Bailey Jr who gave her the nickname Maya. Being so close in age they were very close growing up.
Her parents separated when she was three (3) and her brother was four (4) but her father sent them to stay with their grandmother in Stamp, Arkansas. This was very strange that he put them on a train by themselves to their grandmother from Missouri to Arakansas, at the age of 3 & 4, babies?
But, ironically their grandmother was doing very well since it was during the Great Depression which was a tough time for Americans but especially Blacks. She owned a general store in the small town and done really well and took good care of Maya and her brother.
After four (4) years later her father return to them back to their mother. After living with her mother and her mothers boyfriend, her mothers boyfriend rape Maya! Maya only told her brother secretly, he was so outraged he told the rest of the family. The boyfriend Mr. Freeman was sent to jail for one (1) day then release! Four (4) days after Mr. Freeman release he was murdered, believed by Maya uncles in St. Louis.
This situation terrified Maya, first being raped then the rapist Mr. Freeman being murder, believed by her uncles. Also viewing her uncles as murders! Maya shut down and stop talking for five years! "Maya later stated in her biography book, she felt her voice had killed a man!". So this is why she did not talk all those years.
After this she was sent back to Arkansas, and there a family friend introduced her to read as therapy. From this experience Maya developed her love of reading, her great memory skills and really begin watching people around her and studying human behavior. She soon began speaking again.
Once again Maya was reunited with her mother this time in San Fransisco, California, where she finished her High School education. There she also studied performing arts which she enjoyed very much. Before graduating from High school Maya worked and was the first Black female street car conductor in San Fransisco!
Shortly after at the age seventeen (17) Maya became pregnant with her son Clyde. As a single teenage mother without a lot of skills Maya struggled greatly to support her child. "Maya recalls, she remembers slipping down the social ladder trying to do anything she could to support Clyde"
Maya took many odd jobs during these years doing anything she could to support her child, she worked as a restaurant cook, a front lady for a prostitute house and sometimes as a prostitute herself!
During this time she had many relationships, many jobs and lived in many cities!
Clyde did grow up to be a poet like his mother.
In 1951 Maya married a White man, {Greek} this was very unusual at the time and was looked down upon by both Whites and Blacks. But he supported her and her dreams and was positive in life and from this point on Maya life turned around and became very positive.
Objective of topic
The point I want stress is that a lot of young girls in the Black community have been raped. The ones I know and have dated all seems to feel it was their fault why this happen to them? I think that if this happens to anyone you know you should encourage them to get professional counseling. Because, I seen burying these feeling does not work, they always seem to raise to the surface in one way shape or form! Please come forward and confront these men!
Sometimes in life especially in the Black community we have to do what we have to do to make it, rather that's prostitution by our sisters or drug selling by our brothers! You still have keep moving forward trying to be positive! One stage of your life is not the complete story but only a chapter in a book of your life!
Maya Angelou may have been a prostitute once upon a time. But look what she turned out to be one of the most outstanding people of any color in American history!
Maya Angelou we honor you and thank you, for all you have done!
Live, Love and Learn
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