Renowned Poet and Author Maya Angelou Dies at 86
Wednesday, May 28, 2014
Maya Angelou, famous poet and author who wrote the autobiography "I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings," among many other works, has died today at age 86.
“Americans for the Arts feels the deep sadness that we all do today to lose the powerful and courageous artist Maya Angelou,” said Robert Lynch, President & CEO of Americans for the Arts. “Ms. Angelou was inspirational when she keynoted our annual conference in 1985. She gave our Nancy Hanks Lecture on Arts and Public Policy in 1990 in Washington, D.C. and again inspired us all about the duty of the artist and the responsibility of art to our society and the world.” Maya Angelou also introduced Senator Alan K. Simpson when he was our Hanks Lecturer in 1997.
In her own words from that night in 1990, Ms. Angelou said: "Art's primary purpose is to serve humanity…I don’t think art is obliged to answer the questions of conscience and morality, but art must pose those questions…Art needs to ask us, What do we think is our reason for being on this earth? What do we think is our right to abide on this planet? What is our duty to the planet? To other forms of life, with whom we are connected? To our own species?’”
Read the entire transcript from Maya Angelou's Hanks Lecture here.
News coverage of her passing today:
Poet, Educator and Civil Rights Advocate Dr. Maya Angelou, 86, dies
