Still I Rise

Maya Angelou was an American poet, memoirist, and civil rights activist whose career spanned over 50 years. She published seven autobiographies, several books of poetry, and three essay collections and wrote plays, movies, and television shows. Her widely acclaimed work has received numerous awards, and Angelou has received over 50 honorary degrees. Her best known work is her first autobiography, I Know Why the Caged Bird Sing, which focuses on her childhood up to the age of 17. Her most known poems include “Still I Rise,” “Caged Bird,” and “Phenomenal Woman.” Her poems and autobiographies are taught in schools and universities worldwide, and her work often appears on lists of banned books in the United States. Her work centers on themes like racism, identity, womanhood, family, and travel.

Though Angelou is a prolific and widely-read poet, her poetry has often been lauded more for its themes and topics rather than its poetic innovation. Her poems often depict Black beauty, describe the strength of women, and praise the human spirit while demanding social justice for all. While intensely personal and often autobiographical, Angelou’s poems often use personal experience to comment on larger social and cultural issues related to race and gender.