Maya Angelou (born Marguerite Annie Johnson; April 4, 1928 – May 28, 2014) was an American poet, singer, memoirist, and civil rights activist. She published seven autobiographies, three books of essays, several books of poetry, and is credited with a list of plays, movies, and television shows spanning over 50 years. She received dozens of awards and more than 50 honorary degrees. Angelou is best known for her series of seven autobiographies, which focus on her childhood and early adult experiences. The first, “I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings” (1969), tells of her life up to the age of 17 and brought her international recognition and acclaim.
“I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings”, is the first nonfiction bestseller by an African American woman. This is Maya Angelou’sfirst autobiography and it narrates hercoming of age story which covers areas of race, segregation, violence, identity, abandonment and literature. One of my all-time favourite quotes of hers is this:
“There is no greater agony than bearing an untold story inside you.”
Storytelling is a skill that some may have but when it comes to untold stories I believe we all have them. Whether small or great, funny or tragic, we all have untold stories, that may have been buried, hidden or even forgotten. I believe that we all have a story to tell and a story to leave behind before the last chapter of our lives is written. You may never know whose life your story can change or make an impact. Quotes like these by Maya Angelou, inspired the creation of this platform.
This quote reminds me of another woman’s story in the Bible who is mostly known as “The Samaritan woman” or “The woman at the well’’. Considered by many as the first evangelist, she is known for sharing her own story, her own testimony about her encounter with Jesus through which many came to the knowledge of who He is. To think that if the Samaritan woman had instead chosen to bear this “untold story”, this story of a life-changing moment, a life-changing encounter, the people in her town would never have met Jesus. According to scripture “many Samaritans believed in Him because of the woman’s testimony”, because of the woman’s powerful story (John 4:1-42).
Maya Angelou said “There is no greater agony than bearing an untold story inside you” and I would also point out the value that comes from the sense of lightness and ease when that burden of an untold story is finally released. In “I Know Why the Caged Bird” she tells her own story and her raw, poetic, unapologetic, humorous writing is captivating. The following are some memorable quotes from the book:
- “In Stamps the segregation was so complete that most Black children didn’t really, absolutely know what whites looked like. We knew only that they were different, to be feared, and in that fear was included the hostility of the powerless against the powerful, the poor against the rich, the worker against the employer, and the poorly dressed against the well-dressed.”
- “Hoping for the best, prepared for the worst, and unsurprised by anything in between.”
- “Life is going to give you what you put in it. Put your whole heart in everything you do, and pray, then you can wait.”
- “I was going to look like one of the sweet little white girls who were everybody’s dream of what was right with the world.”
- “Wouldn’t they be surprised when one day I woke out of my black ugly dream, and my real hair, which was long and blonde, would take the place of the kinky mass that Momma wouldn’t let me straighten? My light-blue eyes were going to hypnotize them.”
- “Your grandmother says you read a lot. That’s good, but not good enough. Words mean more than what is written on paper. They need the human voice to give them deeper meaning.’ I memorized the part about the human voice giving meaning to words. It seemed so true and poetic.”
Stay blessed,
Prince