Maya Angelou, born April 4, 1928 in Missouri, was a Civil Rights poet and activist and was an inspiration to many. Maya Angelou served as a voice during the Civil Rights Movement as she showed the brutality of racism, highlighted in her poem, “Still I Rise.” “Still I Rise” is written towards the white oppressors as Maya shows her defiance in overcoming their oppression and speaking up for a change.
Maya Angelou lived an eventful life that inspired the themes of many of her poems. Maya Angelou wrote six autobiographies and many poems throughout her life all inspired by life events. Angelou didn’t fall in love with reading and writing until she experienced her first obstacle in life that caused her to fall head first into the literary world. …show more content…
However as the poem goes on, her stanzas highlight how she overcame oppression and made a difference for a change. Maya references the hate African Americans faced; “You may kill me with your hatefulness, but still, like air, I’ll rise.” (23-24). Maya depicted exactly how every African American felt during the 1960’s and put a voice behind it to make a change. With that line especially, despite facing despair and humiliation, she’s showing her strength in not surrendering. Maya Angelou shows the determination of many African Americans; “Bringing the gifts that my ancestors gave, I am the dream and the hope of the slave.” (40-41). Maya shows the drive to make a change by including how her ancestors faced slavery and how she is driven to make a change for them. Maya explains she is the dream and hope of the slave, meaning she is the one who can make a change for those who couldn’t; “Out of the huts of history’s shame, I rise. Up from a past that’s rooted in pain. I rise.” (30-34). Despite all the obstacles African Americans had faced throughout the years, Maya Angelou gave them hope for the future and a voice for
Maya Angelou lived an eventful life that inspired the themes of many of her poems. Maya Angelou wrote six autobiographies and many poems throughout her life all inspired by life events. Angelou didn’t fall in love with reading and writing until she experienced her first obstacle in life that caused her to fall head first into the literary world. …show more content…
However as the poem goes on, her stanzas highlight how she overcame oppression and made a difference for a change. Maya references the hate African Americans faced; “You may kill me with your hatefulness, but still, like air, I’ll rise.” (23-24). Maya depicted exactly how every African American felt during the 1960’s and put a voice behind it to make a change. With that line especially, despite facing despair and humiliation, she’s showing her strength in not surrendering. Maya Angelou shows the determination of many African Americans; “Bringing the gifts that my ancestors gave, I am the dream and the hope of the slave.” (40-41). Maya shows the drive to make a change by including how her ancestors faced slavery and how she is driven to make a change for them. Maya explains she is the dream and hope of the slave, meaning she is the one who can make a change for those who couldn’t; “Out of the huts of history’s shame, I rise. Up from a past that’s rooted in pain. I rise.” (30-34). Despite all the obstacles African Americans had faced throughout the years, Maya Angelou gave them hope for the future and a voice for