Unexplored Details Surrounding the Life of Maya Angelou:
Living a Dazzling Life: Remarkable Stories About Maya Angelou
Celebrated Author, Singer, and Activist Extraordinaire
Maya Angelou, the renowned poet, playwright, and memoirist who graced this world from 1928 to 2014, was a force to be reckoned with. Not only did she smash boundaries, but she packed decades of living into her life with a vivacity that left many questioning their own life choices. Gary Younge, writing in the Guardian, once declared that knowing her life story was akin to feeling both wonder and relief at escaping her experiences. Here are a few fascinating tidbits you may not have known about this extraordinary woman.
She Grooved as a Calypso Singer and Dancer
At a time when she was a young, single mother hustling to make ends meet, Angelou found a paying gig working as a stripper at a club. A customer turned friend later alerted her to an opening at the bustling San Francisco nightclub, The Purple Onion. Angelou put together an electrifying act where she sang calypso tunes and spun riveting stories. She later took the stage in the film "Calypso Heatwave" and released an album as "Miss Calypso" in 1957, both during a period when calypso music was captivating the U.S.
She Wrote Her First Book for Fun
It might surprise you to learn that Angelou wasn't originally set on becoming a writer. By the late '60s, she was busy producing a TV series for PBS. Over a dinner with literary greats like James Baldwin, Jules Feiffer, and Judy Feiffer, Angelou found herself struggling to make her own contribution to the conversation. In a subsequent conversation with Judy, she shared her thoughts, earning high praise from the Feiffers and catching the attention of editor Bob Loomis. Despite turning him down three times, she finally accepted his offer to write an autobiography after being challenged by Baldwin's tactics.
Breaking Barriers and Shattering Firsts
Angelou's resume boasts an impressive array of firsts. At age 16, she became the first black female cable car conductor in San Francisco. She was also the first African-American woman to secure a nonfiction bestseller with "I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings" (1969), have a screenplay produced with "Georgia Georgia" (1972), and direct a major motion picture with "Down in the Delta" (1998).
Tying the Knot Three Times with the Same Man
Angelou's third marriage was to Paul du Feu, a Welsh master carpenter, comic strip writer, and former husband of feminist Germaine Greer. In an interview with People magazine, Angelou shared that they married not once, but three times. She remembered their first marriage as enjoyable, leading them to ceremoniously renew their vows twice more. However, their union came to an end in 1981.
A Special Bond with Coretta Scott King
Maya Angelou shared April 4th, the same birthday as the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr. For years following the tragic event, Angelou did not celebrate her birthday. Yet, she maintained a close relationship with Coretta Scott King, the widow of Dr. King, often sending her flowers on her special day.
A Misattributed Quote on a Postal Stamp
In 2015, a commemorative stamp was issued in honor of Angelou, featuring a quote that was, in fact, not her own: "A bird doesn't sing because it has an answer, it sings because it has a song." The quote was actually penned by poet Joan Walsh Anglund. The U.S. Postal Service later acknowledged the mistake following the revelation by a newspaper. Additionally, at least two popular poems often attributed to Angelou have been misidentified as hers.
Engaging in an Exuberant Calypso CareerAfter exploring her career as a stripper and a cable car conductor, Angelou found a new avenue in entertainment when she became a calypso singer and dancer at The Purple Onion nightclub in San Francisco.
Embracing the Role of a Writer against OddsDespite initial hesitation and a busy schedule, Angelou eventually accepted the offer to write her first book, "I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings," after being challenged by James Baldwin's tactics and receiving high praise from literary greats like Jules Feiffer.
