This person died in 2014 at age 86. She was a Tony-nominated stage actress, and a calypso dancer for a period of time.. In 2011 she was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom. She was a college professor and a ubiquitous presence on the lecture circuit, and also made several appearances on Sesame Street. Throughout her writing, she explored the concepts of personal identity and resilience through the multifaceted lens of race, sex, family, community and the collective past. In 1969 she published her landmark book, “I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings”. Today’s dead celebrity is Maya Angelou. Famous & Gravy is created and co-hosted by Amit Kapoor and Michael Osborne. This episode was produced by Jacob Weiss. For updates on the show, please sign up for our newsletter at famousandgravy.com. Also, enjoy our mobile quiz game at deadoraliveapp.com If you enjoyed this episode, you may also like Episode 31 “The Greatest” (Muhammad Ali), Episode 26 “Wild Thing” (Maurice Sendak) and Episode 12 “Emblem of Dignify” (Nelson Mandela). Additional episodes about key figures in Black History are Episode 37 “Just a Friend” (Biz Markie), Episode 32 “Hot Stuff” (Donna Summer), and Episode 24 “Dazzling Dribbler” (Curly Neal). Transcript of this episode New York Times Obituary for Maya Angelou Famous & Gravy official website Famous & Gravy on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn Dead or Alive Quiz Game Maya Angelou memorial page on Wake Forest University site Maya Angelou’s poem at the 1993 inauguration Black Women of Amherst College podcast Tracy Morgan’s impersonation of Angelou’s Hallmark Cards on SNL Maya Angelou for Froot Loops on SNL performed by David Alan Grier Maya Angelou’s Life in Photos in the New Yorker “And I Still Rise” Documentary on Maya Angelou “I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings” book at Half Price Books HPB.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices