Advanced Obiturary - Maya Angelou

This was my first assignment for my feature writing class this semester. It was an an advanced obituary on author, entertainer and civil rights activist Maya Angelou. She is still alive, but the premise of the advanced obit is to have obituaries done, at least in part, before a person dies. This is usually done with very famous people. For example when Gerald Ford died recently all the news stations and papers were able to quickly put out extensive obituary information, because they had a large amount of it already done.

This story has already been graded so I've made a few corrections, but let me know what you think.

Jan. 31, 2007 - "Love is that condition in the human spirit so profound that it allows me to survive, and better than that, to thrive with passion, compassion, and style,” said Maya Angelou, and that is exactly how she lived her life.

Angelou was a poet, educator, historian, best-selling author, actress, playwright, civil-rights activist, producer, and director.

Angelou has impacted all generations. She starred in many movies and plays in her early life, making her a household name. She has managed to hold onto that position even now, with her name being listed among many other influential people in “La Vie Boheme,” a song from the popular musical Rent.

“Angelou has inspired generations of readers and writers with her powerful words,” said Terry O'Neal, poet and children’s book author, when describing Angelou as her inspiration.

Angelou died of a heart attack yesterday at the age of 78.

According to her official website, Angelou was born on April 4, 1928 as Marguerite Johnson in St. Louis, Mo. She was educated in public schools in Stamps, Ark. and San Francisco, Calif.

Angelou suffered a trying childhood. At the age of 3 she and her brother were sent by train alone to live in Arkansas. While living with her grandmother, she was active in a wide variety of dance classes including tap, jazz, and salsa.

After living with her grandmother for 4 years the children were returned to their mother’s custody. At age 8 Angelou admitted that her mother’s boyfriend had abused her sexually. When her uncle heard this he beat the man to death. This experience traumatized Angelou and she became mute.

Angelou lived without speaking for another five years until her mother sent her and her brother to live with their grandmother. At age 13 she began to speak again. She credited this change to Mrs. Flower, a friend in Stamps.

In 1940, Angelou and her brother went under the custody of their father until Angelou ran away from home. She spent a short time living in a junk yard with many other homeless children until she returned to her mother’s custody.

At age 16, Angelou became pregnant and gave birth to a son. She named him Guy Johnson. In order to support herself and her new son, Angelou began singing at a famous night club in San Francisco called “hungry i.” Angelou sang in a Caribbean accent and eventually released an album titled Miss Calypso.

Angelou has written many best selling books including the autobiographies I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings and A Song Flung Up to Heaven.

"Maya Angelou is a natural writer with an inordinate sense of life,” said The Kirkus Reviews in a review of I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings.

Angelou’s official website says that she received a life time appointment as the first Reynolds Professor of American Studies at Wake Forest University in 1981. And in January of 1993, Angelou became the second poet to read at a Presidential Inauguration.

Angelou was highly prized as an author and poet.

“Maya Angelou regards the world and herself with intelligence and wit,” said William McPherson of The Washington Post Book World in another review of I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings.

In addition to being an actor, author, and civil rights activist, Angelou was also a mother who raised her son in an environment rich with African-American culture. Johnson described his childhood by saying, “The great thing about being the son of Maya Angelou is that I had the good fortune to grow up around some of the greatest black artists, dancers, singers, musicians, and actors of our time.”

Although Angelou was married three times throughout in her life, her closet relative is her son, Guy Johnson, who also became a poet.

A public viewing will be held in Angelou’s home town of St. Louis, Mo. on Friday starting at noon. The family will have a private service on Saturday.