A Tribute To The Legacy Of Maya Angelou: 15 Quotes On Life, Love, & Courage

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Maya Angelou’s writings profoundly impacted my views of the world at a young age and taught me the irreplaceable value of spirituality and a strong inner-world. She gives me strength to carry on when everything feels too heavy. Ms. Angelou endured tremendous suffering throughout her life- a traumatic childhood, poverty, prejudice, and discrimination. Despite the obstacles she faced, she overcame each and everyone with grace, beauty, wit and wisdom.

Her writings are a testament to the unwavering strength of her character. Her words live on and give a voice to the countless souls who silently suffered before us, their struggles ignored or overlooked. Her legacy threads together a past of pain and suffering and weaves for us a future of hope and love for all those who endure.

Maya Angelou was a civil rights activist, poet, singer, playwright, actress, and mother. She is best known for her 1969 memoir, “I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings”. Her memoir became the first nonfiction bestseller by an African American woman. She was the first black woman director in Hollywood. In her early days, she even became the first black female cable car conductor. Ms. Angelou was a leader and a visionary. To this day, her words continue to inspire students, artists, politicians, and leaders around the world.

Her beauty, grace, wit and wisdom live on through these quotes- inspiring strength in us all.

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Quotes from Maya Angelou

1. I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.
2. There is no greater agony than bearing an untold story inside you.
3. You can’t use up creativity. The more you use, the more you have.
4. We delight in the beauty of the butterfly, but rarely admit the changes it has gone through to achieve that beauty.
5. I’ve learned that whenever I decide something with an open heart, I usually make the right decision.
6. If you don’t like something, change it. If you can’t change it, change your attitude.
7. Nothing will work unless you do.
8. I’ve learned that making a living is not the same thing as making a life.
9. My mission in life is not merely to survive, but the thrive; and to do so with some passion, some compassion, some humor, and some style.
10. Prejudice is a burden that confuses the past, threatens the future and renders the present inaccessible.
11. Courage is the most important of all the virtues, because without courage you can’t practice any other virtue consistently. You can practice any virtue erratically, but nothing consistently without courage.
12. It is one of the greatest gifts you can give yourself, to forgive. Forgive everybody.
13. If you find it in your heart to care for somebody else, you will have succeeded.
14. Love recognizes no barriers. It jumps hurdles, leaps fences, penetrates walls to arrive at its destination full of hope.
15. Listen to yourself and in that quietude you might hear the voice of God.

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