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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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All Ifs Inspirational People Knows Life Thinking Phenomenal Woman Persons Trying Humans Black Women Writing Giving Inspiring Want Children May World Needs African American

Famous Maya Angelou Quotes

“And if a person is religious, I think it's good, it helps you a bit. But if you're not, at least you can have the sense that there is a condition inside you which looks at the stars with amazement and awe.”

Ifs Thinking Looks Persons Helping Stars Bits Religious Conditions Awe Amazement

Author:Maya Angelou

“Easy reading is damn hard writing. But if it's right, it's easy. It's the other way round, too. If it's slovenly written, then it's hard to read. It doesn't give the reader what the careful writer can give the reader.”

Ifs Way Giving Writing Hard Reading Easy Written Reader Rounds Careful Damn

Author:Maya Angelou

“I do like to have guns around. I don't like to carry them. But I like - if somebody is going to come into my house and I have not put out the welcome mat, I want to stop them.”

Ifs Want House Gun Welcome

Author:Maya Angelou

“If you were the President of the United States or the Queen of England - you couldn't have a person who would be more protective than my mother was for me. Which meant really that I could dare to do all sorts of things.”

Ifs Persons States Would Be Mother President United United States England Dare Queens Protective Queen Of England

Author:Maya Angelou

“If you will have a person enslaved, the first thing you must do is convince yourself that the person is subhuman. The second thing you have to do is convince your allies so you'll have some help, and the third and probably unkindest cut of all is to convince that person that he or she is subhuman and deserves it.”

Ifs Firsts Persons Helping Cutting Deserve Thirds Convince Allies

Author:Maya Angelou

“I have great respect for the past. If you don't know where you've come from, you don't know where you're going. I have respect for the past, but I'm a person of the moment. I'm here, and I do my best to be completely centered at the place I'm at, then I go forward to the next place.”

Ifs Knows Persons Moments Past Next Great Respect

Author:Maya Angelou

“We are the victims of the world's most comprehensive robbery. Life demands a balance. It's all right if we do a little robbing now.”

Ifs World Littles Balance Demand Victim Comprehensive Robbery Robbing

Book:The Collected Autobiographies of Maya Angelou

Source: The Collected Autobiographies of Maya Angelou

“My entire stay there [high school] might have been time lost if it hadn't been for the unique personality of a brilliant teacher. Miss Kirwin was that rare educator who was in love with information. I will always believe that her love of teaching came not so much from her liking for students but from her desire to make sure that some of the things she knew would find repositories so that they could be shared again.”

Source: The Collected Autobiographies of Maya Angelou

“If you're going to live, leave a legacy. Make a mark on the world that can't be erased.”

Ifs World Mark Legacy

Author:Maya Angelou

“Few, if any, survive their teens. Most surrender to the vague but murderous pressure of adult conformity.”

Ifs Youth Adults Pressure Surrender Conformity Teens Vague I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings

Book:The Collected Autobiographies of Maya Angelou

Source: The Collected Autobiographies of Maya Angelou

About the Author

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

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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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