National May Ray Day ― Date, History, and Details
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History of National May Ray Day and How to Celebrate/ Observe It
National May Ray Day is a day to celebrate the life and work of Dr. Maya Angelou. Dr. Angelou was an American poet, memoirist, and civil rights activist. She is best known for her autobiography, I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings, which chronicles her early life up to age 17. The book was published in 1969 and made her a literary sensation. It was nominated for a National Book Award and named one of Time magazine’s 100 Best Nonfiction Books of the 20th Century.
Dr. Angelou was born on April 4, 1928, in St. Louis, Missouri. Her parents divorced when she was only three, and she and her brother were sent to live with their grandmother in rural Arkansas. As a child, she experienced racism and poverty, but she also developed a love of literature and storytelling.
After high school, Dr. Angelou moved to San Francisco, where she worked as a waitress and began writing poetry. In 1951, she moved to New York City, where she worked as an actress, dancer, and singer. She also became involved in the civil rights movement.
In the 1960s, Dr. Angelou became close friends with Martin Luther King, Jr. and helped him write his famous “I Have a Dream” speech. After King’s assassination in 1968, she wrote a poem called “And Still I Rise” that became an anthem for the civil rights movement.
Throughout her life, Dr. Angelou continued to write poetry, essays, and memoirs. She also taught at several universities, including Wake Forest University, where she was a professor of American Studies.
Dr. Angelou died on May 28, 2014, at the age of 86. But her legacy continues to inspire people all over the world.