Dear Friend,
This week Amanda Gorman, who made history as the youngest poet to recite at a Presidential Inauguration, honored Maya Angelou (1928-2014) by wearing a ring with a caged bird, referring to her great work I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings. A world-renowned poet, writer, and activist, Maya recited at President Bill Clinton's Inauguration in 1993—the second poet to ever recite at a Presidential Inauguration, and the first since Robert Frost spoke at President John F. Kennedy's over thirty years prior. This year, Amanda Gorman joined a select group of only five other Inaugural Poets in US history, with recitations featured only at the Inaugurations of Presidents John F. Kennedy, Bill Clinton, Barack Obama, and Joe Biden.
To honor Maya Angelou's lasting legacy, we'd like to share this interview from the early days of State of the Arts. In our 1988 feature, she recites poetry and discusses her life and thoughts on writing. "I think that every human being born, is born with talent," she tells our viewers, noting that all of our talent can be used either destructively or constructively. We hope that you find some inspiration in our look back at this remarkable poet.
