Carissa Nevins Research Project

ENG 1102Owens

Born as Marguerite JohnsonOn April 4th, 1928

Still I Rise

Out of the huts of history’s shameI rise

Up from a past that’s rooted in painI rise

Im a black ocean, leaping and wide

Welling and swelling I bear in the tide

Leaving behind nights of terror and fear

I riseInto a day break that’s

wondrously clearI rise

Bring the gifts that my ansestorsgave

I am the dream and the hope of the slave

I rise

“ A year before I had listened along with the entire

country to Maya Angelou read her poem „On the pulse

of morning” at president Clinton‟s 1993

inauguration”

Some of Angelou’s

Poems

•The Lesson

•The Rock Cries out to us Today

•Passing Time

•When you Come

•Refusal

•Men

•Alone

•Touched by an Angel

•Momma Welfare Roll

•Insomniac

•Woman Work

•Phenomenal Woman

“In a low voice she wove for her audience a night of magic with words

of poetry, wisdom and insight “

“Is a book of poems which relates to the issues of contention, pain, love, loss and survival”

Maya’sAchievements

•Member of the Harlem Writer’s Guild

•Cabaret For freedom

•Member of the Cultural Association for Woman of African Heritage

•Her book I know why the caged bird sings, won a national book award

•First women to have a screen play

•Received an invitation from Bill Clinton to write and read her poem at his inauguration

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“The poignant beauty of Angelou’s writing enhances rather than masks the candor with which she addresses the racial crisis through which America was passing”

“We hear her poetry, we listen to ourselves”