One of literature's greats has passed away. The much-celebrated award-winning author/poet and activist Maya Angelou was 86.
According to an article in the Huffington Post, Dr. Angelou had been an American Studies professor at North Carolina's Wake Forest University since 1982.
Touted as being "one of the first black women to enjoy mainstream success as an author," Angelou was a national treasure. Despite the harshest upbringing of sexual abuse, Angelou went on to befriend Malcolm X, Nelson Mandela and the Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr. and a mentor to Oprah Winfrey.
Her most popular work, 1970's 'I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings,' told her incredible life story, and became standard—if occasionally banned—reading throughout the United States.
Here are, in my opinion, some of her most moving quotes (courtesy of the Guardian):
"If you don't like something, change it. If you can't change it, change your attitude. Don't complain."
"You may not control all the events that happen to you, but you can decide not to be reduced by them."
"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."
...and for fellow yummies:
"I love to see a young girl go out and grab the world by the lapels. Life's a bitch. You've got to go out and kick ass."
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