The Maya Angelou Documentary to air in 2016
Senior Editorial Assistant Lina Kim from New York, US writes about the legacy of American poet Maya Angelou and the details of the Maya Angelou documentary which is set to air in 2016. How will the film work to portray accurately and to honour Angelou in the years following her death?
The life and legacy of the prolific Maya Angelou has inspired millions worldwide, with her most notable work, I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings, reaching international acclaim and remaining on the New York Times best-seller list for a record two years after publication. Dr. Angelou has exposed much of her life through her autobiographical works in a courageously raw narrative that speaks to her arduous past as a victim of acute racial discrimination, child abuse, sexual assault, and, as a result, a virtual mute for five years all before the age of 17.
Albeit a survivor of dire circumstances, Poet Laureate Maya Angelou published seven autobiographies, three books of essays, several books of poetry, two cookbooks, and was credited with a myriad of productions spanning over the course of fifty years, prior to her death in May 2014 at the age of 86. In her book of essays, A Letter to My Daughter, Angelou writes, “I can be changed by what happens to me. But I refuse to be reduced by it.”
The Maya Angelou Documentary
In an effort to honor Maya Angelou, Coburn Whack, who served as Angelou’s radio producer from 2006 to 2010, began work four years ago alongside director Bob Hercules to piece together an exclusive documentary featuring interviews with Bill Clinton, Oprah, and Angelou herself. The Maya Angelou Documentary is set to air on PBS’s American Masters in 2016. With the fast-approaching release date, a Kickstarter campaign has been started to aid in the production of the film.
Colin Johnson, Maya Angelou’s grandson, has stated of the project:
“It’s in its own right a history lesson. This woman who was born in St. Louis, grew up in Arkansas, no formal education, family had no formal education, raped at a young age, defined her voice, comes back from that, and then defined this amazing other voice that will never be quieted. I mean, the story is inspirational just in a five-second telling of it. Then you go into the details…”
Angelou’s influence
Through her incredibly poignant story, Angelou has touched millions through both her writing and her dedication to activism. Angelou worked with Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and Malcolm X in her role as coordinator of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference during the civil rights movement, and spearheaded the women’s rights movement as one of the first African-American women to speak out unapologetically about her life. Angelou has received more than 50 honorary degrees including the first lifetime Reynolds Professorship of American Studies at Wake Forest University, and the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2010.
Furthermore, Angelou is renowned for her numerous speeches as a gifted orator; particularly for the recitation of her poem “On the Pulse of Morning” at President Bill Clinton’s inauguration in 1993, as the first poet to make an inaugural recitation since Robert Frost at President John F. Kennedy’s inauguration in 1961.
On 29th May 2014, Angelou was remembered in a public service at Mount Zion Baptist Church in Winston-Salem, where she had been a member for 30 years. The memorial was broadcast live, with speeches from her son, Bill Clinton and First Lady Michelle Obama, who spoke of Maya Angelou’s influence on her personal journey to success and self acceptance:
“Dr. Angelou’s words sustained me on every step of my journey — through lonely moments in ivy-covered classrooms and colorless skyscrapers; through blissful moments mothering two splendid baby girls; through long years on the campaign trail where, at times, my very womanhood was dissected and questioned. For me, that was the power of Maya Angelou’s words — words so powerful that they carried a little black girl from the South Side of Chicago all the way to the White House.”
As an advocate of self-love and loving others, Angelou’s wisdom is reflected throughout her works, perhaps most prominently in her poem “I’ve Learned”:
“I’ve learned that no matter what happens, or how bad it seems today, life does go on, and it will be better tomorrow. I’ve learned that you can tell a lot about a person by the way he/she handles these three things: a rainy day, lost luggage, and tangled Christmas tree lights. I’ve learned that regardless of your relationship with your parents, you’ll miss them when they’re gone from your life. I’ve learned that making a “living” is not the same thing as making a “life.” I’ve learned that life sometimes gives you a second chance. I’ve learned that you shouldn’t go through life with a catcher’s mitt on both hands; you need to be able to throw something back. I’ve learned that whenever I decide something with an open heart, I usually make the right decision. I’ve learned that even when I have pains, I don’t have to be one. I’ve learned that every day you should reach out and touch someone. People love a warm hug, or just a friendly pat on the back. I’ve learned that I still have a lot to learn. 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.”
Despite the passing of a wonderful writer, those inspired by Angelou continue to share in her legacy, and work to encourage others to experience, as Michelle Obama eloquently expresses, “her wisdom, her genius, and her boundless love.” The Maya Angelou Documentary promises to reflect the journey of a woman who overcomes her difficult past to become an incredibly inspirational author, poet, journalist, activist, orator and, most of all, a phenomenal woman.
