If We All Could See the Way Maya Angelou Did

Credit: mayaangelou.com

Maya Angelou was an accomplished writer, poet, actor, director, producer, singer, composer, dancer, civil rights activist, and university professor.

Born in St. Louis, Missouri in 1928, Maya was raised by her parents and grandparents. They regularly attended the local Black Baptist Church. It was instilled in Maya that she was a Child of God. She took this understanding with her for the rest of her life.

At seven and a half years old Maya was raped by her mother’s boyfriend. She testified against him at his trial, and he was sent to jail. Soon after his release he was found beaten to death, she speculated possibly by her uncles.

Maya thought because she told what happened, his death might have been her fault. To deal with the trauma of this horrible ordeal she became mute and did not speak for 5 years, except to her brother, Bailey.

During those years she made good use of the time. She read all the books in the black and white school libraries; she read Shakespeare, Dickins, and Edgar Allen Poe.

The books ignited her love of reading and words. She was amazed at how she had more of a connection to these white writers from other countries than to the whites she encountered in the United States.

She started writing her own poems during this time.

Credit: Amazon

At the age of 12 Maya spoke again. She healed from the trauma by realizing it was never about her and that rapists are narcissists who only care about themselves.

At 16, because of her tall height, her boyish figure, and deep voice she was afraid of becoming a lesbian, even though she didn’t know what a lesbian was. So, she had sex with a boy in her neighborhood and became pregnant with her son, Guy.

 When Maya told her mother what happened, her mother did not make her feel ashamed about her pregnancy. Her mother asked her if she knew who the father was and if she loved him. Maya said that she did know who the father was, did not love him, and he did not love her.  

So, Maya’s mother said, “We’ll just focus on the baby and not worry about the father.”  After Guy was born, even though Maya was still a teenager, Maya’s mother told her it was time for her to leave the house and live on her own.  

Maya bought her own apartment, with the help of her mother, for herself and Guy. Maya got a nine-to-five job and attended college. She took Guy everywhere with her. Maya said that the experience made her grow up fast and that Guy was her greatest gift.

  Even though Maya knew that she did a great job raising Guy despite her young age, Maya believed that teen girls should not have children. She said that teens do not have the emotional maturity needed to raise them.

  Around this time, Maya started writing poetry and books about her life. They quickly became best sellers. She also wrote plays for Broadway. Later in life she tried her hand at acting but acting was never her passion. Her true passion and love were always writing.

 Maya enrolled Guy in school in Africa so he would not face the racism that was occurring in white schools. She knew that as an early teen, Guy would not have the tools to deal with the racism he would encounter.

After college in Africa, Guy went on to create half-way houses for single mothers. Maya was always very proud of him.

Credit: Amazon

Maya was very involved in the civil rights movement. She was close friends with Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and Malcolm X and participated in many civil rights marches.

 She was active in the gay rights movement. When asked about her support of gay people, she replied that “gay people are Children of God, and so am I, and so is everyone else, and I love everyone.”  She believed that the Higher Power created everyone and that it was no one’s right to judge.

Maya always loved a Black Gospel song that said when things get rough the Higher Power will always give a rainbow to show things will get better. Maya believed that everyone has their own rainbow to help them in hard times.

If she heard any racist or homophobic language of any kind used in her home, she would tell that person to leave immediately. She didn’t want any part of hate.

Maya did not fear aging. She saw her maturity as a beautiful, wonderful stage of life and embraced it. Maya died in 2014 at the age of 86. Just before his passing at age 77 in 2022, Guy was instrumental in choosing the image of his mother to appear on a coin.

Her messages are of love and compassion, seeing everyone as equal and as Children of God. She believes that no one is free until we are all free.

Love liberates and frees us all. Love truly is what is important. Love heals.

Maya thought that if everyone could love everyone, and see their Divinity and beauty, the world would be the wonderful place it should be. She said that all you must do is see and acknowledge it.