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Maya Angelou

Maya Angelou Quotes

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Maya Angelou was an American author, poet, playwright, actress, and lecturer, known for her profound exploration of race, gender, and culture in her work. Her autobiographical works, including 'I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings,' which detailed her early life of poverty and sexual exploitation, have gained widespread acclaim.

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Famous Maya Angelou Quotes

“I wrote some of the worst poetry west from the Mississippi River, but I wrote. And I finally sometimes got it right.”

Sometimes Worst Rivers West Mississippi Mississippi River

Author:Maya Angelou

“In a magazine, one can get - from cover to cover - 15 to 20 different ideas about life and how to live it.”

Ideas Different Magazines Different Ideas

Author:Maya Angelou

“In all my work, I try to say - 'You may be given a load of sour lemons, why not try to make a dozen lemon meringue pies?'”

Trying May Given Why Not Dozen Load Pie Sour Lemons Lemon Juice

Author:Maya Angelou

“Laugh...It's the sweetest thing one can do for oneself and one's fellow human beings.”

Humans Can Do Human Beings Laughing Fellows Oneself Sweetest Humor And Laughter Humor Laughter

Author:Maya Angelou

“Loving someone liberates the lover as well as the beloved. And that kind of love comes with age.”

Wells Kind Age Lovers Beloved Loving Someone Kinds Of Love

Author:Maya Angelou

“When I write, I tend to twist my hair. Something for my small mind to do, I guess.”

Writing Mind Hair Twists Small Minds

Author:Maya Angelou

“Writing and cookery are just two different means of communication.”

Writing Mean Two Different Communication Cookery Means Of Communication

Author:Maya Angelou

“The fact that the adult American Negro female emerges a formidable character is often met with amazement, distaste and even belligerance. It is seldom accepted as an inevitable outcome of the struggle won by survivors, and deserves respect if not enthusiastic acceptance.”

“The sadness of the women's movement is that they don't allow the necessity of love. See, I don't personally trust any revolution where love is not allowed.”

Love Women Love Is Sadness Feminism Movement Revolution Womanhood International Women's Day International Women Day Womans Day Womens Day Happy Woman Happy Womens Day

Author:Maya Angelou

“I believe we are still so innocent. The species are still so innocent that a person who is apt to be murdered believes that the murderer, just before he puts the final wrench on his throat, will have enough compassion to give him one sweet cup of water.”

Giving Believe Persons Stills Enough Literature I Believe Water Compassion Positive Sweet Species Finals Innocent Cups Throat Murderer Wrenches

Book:Conversations with Maya Angelou

Source: Conversations with Maya Angelou

“Would you deny your son or your daughter the ecstasy of finding someone to love?”

Son Findings Daughter Deny Ecstasy Our Daughter Your Daughter Your Son Finding Someone

Author:Maya Angelou

“I know that when I pray, something wonderful happens. Not just to the person or persons for whom I'm praying, but also something wonderful happens to me. I'm grateful that I'm heard.”

Knows Persons Happens Wonderful Heard Praying Grateful I Pray

Author:Maya Angelou

“You can't forgive without loving. And I don't mean sentimentality. I don't mean mush. I mean having enough courage to stand up and say, 'I forgive. I'm finished with it.'”

Mean Enough Compassion Positive Forgiveness Forgiving Finished Sentimentality What Is Forgiveness Love And Courage Not Forgiving Can't Forgive Forgiving Heart

Author:Maya Angelou

“You may encounter many defeats, but you must not be defeated. In fact, the encountering may be the very experience which creates the vitality and the power to endure.”

May Facts Endure Defeat Encounters Defeated Vitality

Book:Conversations with Maya Angelou

Source: Conversations with Maya Angelou

“What is a fear of living? It's being preeminently afraid of dying. It is not doing what you came here to do, out of timidity and spinelessness. The antidote is to take full responsibility for yourself - for the time you take up and the space you occupy. If you don't know what you're here to do, then just do some good.”

Ifs Knows Space Responsibility Dying Positive Antidote Timidity Occupy Yourself

Author:Maya Angelou

“I'm grateful to intelligent people. That doesn't mean educated. That doesn't mean intellectual. I mean really intelligent. What black old people used to call 'mother wit' means intelligence that you had in your mother's womb. That's what you rely on. You know what's right to do.”

People Knows Life Mean Used Mother Black Intellectual Intelligent Grateful Wit Educated Rely Old People Womb Mother Wit

Author:Maya Angelou

“Don't let the incidents which take place in life bring you low. And certainly don't whine. You can be brought low, that's OK, but don't be reduced by them. Just say, 'That's life.'”

Lows Incidents Place In Life

Author:Maya Angelou

“I'm convinced of this: Good done anywhere is good done everywhere. For a change, start by speaking to people rather than walking by them like they're stones that don't matter. As long as you're breathing, it's never too late to do some good.”

People Long Matter Done Positive Walking Late Stones Convinced Breathing Too Late Never Too Late

Author:Maya Angelou

“I have a feeling that I make a very good friend, and I'm a good mother, and a good sister, and a good citizen. I am involved in life itself - all of it. And I have a lot of energy and a lot of nerve.”

Feelings Mother Energy Citizens Involved Very Good Nerves Good Friend Good Citizen Good Mother Very Good Friends Good Sister

Author:Maya Angelou

“Every day offers you 10,000 reasons to cry, but if you can find just one reason to laugh then you will be all right.”

Ifs Reason Laughing Cry Offers Just One

Author:Maya Angelou

“I know that I'm not the easiest person to live with. The challenge I put on myself is so great that the person I live with feels himself challenged. I bring a lot to bear, and I don't know how not to.”

Knows Feels Persons Challenges Know How Bears

Author:Maya Angelou

“On Saturday afternoons when all the things are done in the house and there's no real work to be done, I play Bach and Chopin and turn it up real loudly and get a good bottle of chardonnay and sit out on my deck and look out at the garden.”

Looks Real Done Play Turns House Garden Bottles Afternoon Saturday Deck Real Work Work To Be Done Chardonnay Saturday Afternoon

Author:Maya Angelou

“You may not remember what a person said to you, you may not remember what a person did to you, but you will never forget how a person made you feel!”

Feels May Persons Made Said Remember Forget Never Forget

Author:Maya Angelou

“I love the melodies in the Old Testament, how preachers highlight them when they read from the Scripture. But I was influenced forever by the New Testament. I love the Beatitudes, informing us that the meek shall inherit the earth.”

Earth Forever Scripture Melody Preacher Testament New Testament Old Testament Highlights Meek Informing

Author:Maya Angelou

“Independence is a heady draught, and if you drink it in your youth, it can have the same effect on the brain as young wine does. It does not matter that its taste is not always appealing. It is addictive and with each drink you want more.”

Ifs Want Doe Matter Young Brain Effects Youth Drink Taste Independence Wine 4th Of July Draught Happy Independence Day Usa 4th Of July Wishes

Book:Mom & Me & Mom

Source: Mom & Me & Mom

“Politicians must set their aims for the high ground and according to our various leanings, Democratic, Republican, Independent, we will follow. Politicians must be told if they continue to sink into the mud of obscenity, they will proceed alone.”

Ifs Politician Republican Aim Independent Democratic Various Mud Obscenity High Ground

Book:Letter to My Daughter

Source: Letter to My Daughter

“Won't it be wonderful when black history and native American history and Jewish history and all of U.S. history is taught from one book. Just U.S. history.”

Book Black Wonderful Taught Native Native American American History Black History Jewish History

Author:Maya Angelou

“You are the sum total of everything you've ever seen, heard, eaten, smelled, been told, forgot - it's all there. Everything influences each of us, and because of that I try to make sure that my experiences are positive.”

Inspirational Trying Inspiring Powerful Heard Influence Self Esteem Positive Positivity Positive Experiences

Author:Maya Angelou

“Eating is so intimate. It's very sensual. When you invite someone to sit at your table and you want to cook for them, you're inviting a person into your life.”

Want Persons Eating Tables Sensual Cooks Intimate Invites Inviting

Author:Maya Angelou

“Find a beautiful piece of art. If you fall in love with Van Gogh or Matisse or John Oliver Killens, or if you fall love with the music of Coltrane, the music of Aretha Franklin, or the music of Chopin - find some beautiful art and admire it, and realize that that was created by human beings just like you, no more human, no less.”

Ifs Humans Art Beautiful Fall Realizing Human Beings Pieces Like You Falling In Love Admire Vans Franklin Coltrane Beautiful Art Matisse

Author:Maya Angelou

“Hold those things that tell your history and protect them. During slavery, who was able to read or write or keep anything? The ability to have somebody to tell your story to is so important. It says: 'I was here. I may be sold tomorrow. But you know I was here.'”

Knows Writing May Important Stories Able Ability Tomorrow Protect Slavery Life Changing

Author:Maya Angelou

“I'm working at trying to be a Christian, and that's serious business. It's like trying to be a good Jew, a good Muslim, a good Buddhist, a good Shintoist, a good Zoroastrian, a good friend, a good lover, a good mother, a good buddy: it's serious business.”

Trying Christian Mother Serious Lovers Jew Buddhist Good Friend Buddy Good Mother Serious Business Good Lovers Good Buddhist

Author:Maya Angelou

“If you're serious, you really understand that it's important that you laugh as much as possible and admit that you're the funniest person you ever met. You have to laugh. Admit that you're funny. Otherwise, you die in solemnity.”

Ifs Persons Important Dies Laughing Serious Mets Solemnity

Author:Maya Angelou

“Listen carefully to what country people call mother wit. In those homely sayings are couched the collective wisdom of generations.”

People Country Mother Generations Motherhood Wit Collectives Homely Collective Wisdom Mother Wit

Author:Maya Angelou

“The most important thing I can tell you about aging is this: If you really feel that you want to have an off-the-shoulder blouse and some big beads and thong sandals and a dirndl skirt and a magnolia in your hair, do it. Even if you're wrinkled.”

Ifs Want Feels I Can Important Bigs Hair Important Things Aging Shoulders Skirts Beads Sandals Magnolias Blouses Thongs

Author:Maya Angelou

“Timidity makes a person modest. It makes him or her say, "I'm not worthy of being written up in the record of deeds in heaven or on earth." Timidity keeps people from their good. They are afraid to say, "Yes, I deserve it."”

People Persons Earth Heaven Compassion Records Written Deserve Deeds Worthy Modest Timidity Not Worthy

Author:Maya Angelou

“Whenever something went wrong when I was young - if I had a pimple or if my hair broke - my mom would say, 'Sister mine, I'm going to make you some soup.' And I really thought the soup would make my pimple go away or my hair stronger.”

Ifs Young Mines Hair Mom Stronger My Mom Broke Going Away Soup Pimples

Author:Maya Angelou

“Growing up, I decided, a long time ago, I wouldn't accept any manmade differences between human beings, differences made at somebody else's insistence or someone else's whim or convenience.”

Humans Long Made Differences Human Beings Accepting Growing Up Growing Long Time Decided Long Time Ago Convenience Whim Insistence

Author:Maya Angelou

“I liked to write from the time I was about 12 or 13. I loved to read. And since I only spoke to my brother, I would write down my thoughts. And I think I wrote some of the worst poetry west of the Rockies. But by the time I was in my 20s, I found myself writing little essays and more poetry - writing at writing.”

Thinking Writing Littles Found Worst Brother West My Brother Spokes My Thoughts Essays

Author:Maya Angelou

“Poetry is music written for the human voice.”

Humans Poetry Voice Written Poetry Is Human Voice

Author:Maya Angelou

“I would be a liar, a hypocrite, or a fool - and I'm not any of those - to say that I don't write for the reader. I do. But for the reader who hears, who really will work at it, going behind what I seem to say. So I write for myself and that reader who will pay the dues.”

Writing Seems Would Be Pay Behinds Fool Reader Dues Liars Hypocrite Hypocrit

Author:Maya Angelou

“I'm considered wise, and sometimes I see myself as knowing. Most of the time, I see myself as wanting to know. And I see myself as a very interested person. I've never been bored in my life.”

Knows Persons Sometimes Knowing Wise Bored

Author:Maya Angelou

“It's good to remember that in crises, natural crises, human beings forget for awhile their ignorances, their biases, their prejudices. For a little while, neighbors help neighbors and strangers help strangers.”

Humans Littles Helping Remember Natural Human Beings Forget Ignorance Prejudice Crisis Stranger Neighbor

Author:Maya Angelou

“Each of us has a responsibility for being alive: one responsibility to creation, of which we are a part, another to the creator a debt we repay by trying to extend our areas of comprehension.”

Trying Responsibility Alive Creation Areas Creator Debt Comprehension

Author:Maya Angelou

“Once you appreciate one of your blessings, one of your senses, your sense of hearing, then you begin to respect the sense of seeing and touching and tasting, you learn to respect all the senses.”

Philosophy Body Seeing Blessing Appreciate Medicine Hearing Senses Touching Tasting Soma

Author:Maya Angelou

“Those of us who submitted or surrendered our ideas and dreams and identities to the 'leaders' must take back our rights, our identities, our responsibilities.”

Ideas Dream Inspiring Responsibility Leader Rights Identity Thoughtful Loving Life Ideas And Dreams

Author:Maya Angelou

“Black people comprehend the South. We understand its weight. It has rested on our backs... I knew that my heart would break if ever I put my foot down on that soil, moist, still, with old hurts. I had to face the fear/loathing at its source or it would consume me whole.”

People Ifs Heart Stills Whole Faces Black Hurt Break Feet Source My Heart Weight South Soil Black People Loathing

Author:Maya Angelou

“During bad circumstances, which is the human inheritance, you must decide not to be reduced. You have your humanity, and you must not allow anything to reduce that. We are obliged to know we are global citizens. Disasters remind us we are world citizens, whether we like it or not.”

Knows World Humans Humanity Citizens Circumstances Disaster Inheritance Obliged Global Citizen World Citizen

Author:Maya Angelou

“I agree with Balzac and 19th-century writers, black and white, who say, 'I write for money.' Yes, I think everybody should be paid handsomely; I insist on it, and I pay people who work for me, or with me, handsomely.”

People Thinking Should Writing Black White Pay Century Paid Agree Black And White 19th Century Balzac

Author:Maya Angelou

“I could fall in love with a sumo wrestler if he told stories and made me laugh. Obviously, it would be easier if someone was African-American and lived next door and went to the same church. Because then I wouldn't have to translate.”

Ifs Made Stories Would Be Fall Next Church Laughing Doors Easier Falling In Love African American Translate Wrestler

Author:Maya Angelou

About the Author

Born: April 4, 1928
Died: May 28, 2014
Known for: Author
Quotes: 1180

Related Topics

Ifs Inspirational People Knows Life Thinking Phenomenal Woman Persons Trying Humans

Popular Topics

People Ifs Thinking Knows Men World Way Want Love Life Inspirational Needs Giving Feels Should Writing Trying Years Mind Firsts

Books & Sources

I Know Why the Caged Bird SingsRelated source material

Letter to My DaughterRelated source material

The Collected Autobiographies of Maya AngelouRelated source material

Wouldn't Take Nothing for My Journey NowRelated source material

Conversations with Maya AngelouRelated source material

The Complete PoetryRelated source material

The Heart of a WomanRelated source material

Rainbow in the Cloud: The Wisdom and Spirit of Maya AngelouRelated source material

Singin' and Swingin' and Gettin' Merry Like ChristmasRelated source material

A Song Flung Up to HeavenRelated source material

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