Maya+Angelou+3

Maya Angelou has lived an extraordinary life as a a dancer, teacher,authour as well as an actress. The road to success wasn't all fun and games, Maya Angelou had to go through hardships and challenges but through it all she persevered. Maya Angelou exemplified perseverence by overcoming sexual absue as a child, living in a racist society and having a baby very young.

Maya Angelou's childhood wasn't like the fairy tales you read about,when she was about eight years old,she was sexually abused. The man responsible for this crime was her mother's friend Mr.Freeman. When this tragedy happened Maya became illsocial and wanted to be left alone. The only person talked to was her brother Bailey but she didnt even tell him what had happened. When Maya did decide to speak up, the police told her she needed to testify. She agreed but a day or so later she found out Mr. Freeman had been beaten to death by her uncles. Scared that her words could cause so much harm,she vowed she wouldnt speak again. The silence lasted for nearly five years until she met a woman by the name of Bertha Flowers. Mrs. Flowers and Maya shared a love for poetry which became Maya's new reason to talk. Poetry helped Maya Angelou speak to people again.

Sadly, racism was also a hardship Maya Angelou had to go through. When Maya was a young girl,she had a terrible toothache and had to travel twenty-five mile to the nearest doctor. There werent any white doctors that were willing to treat her and there werent any black doctors in Stamps where she was living at the time. The white dentist she tried to go to said he'd rather stick his hand in dog's mouth than in Maya's black mouth. At Maya's eighth grade graduation a white political canidate was suppose to tell a strong, engouraging speech. Instead he told all the African American students that they would never find a nice job or amount to anything. Instead of listening to him she decided to strive for her goal and she then got a job as the first black female street car conductor which then exceeded to a dancer.

Maya Angelou also struggled with self esteem which resulted in her becoming pregnant at sixteen. Maya was still young and she had a lot more dreams to live. At that moment she realized she had to decide between being the picture perfect mother or chase after her dreams. She decide she would chase her dreams but she'd be back to be the best mom she could. A big influcence as to whether she'd take the job offer was wanting to be able to provide a stable place for her child. Maya did take a break from her life-long dreams whenever she could to be with her child. Maya went after her dreams but still made sure she was a great mother.

Maya Angelou has gone through hardship after hardship but she didnt let any of those things get in her way. In Maya's childhood as well as adulthood,she was critized and brought down. If anything those challenges have made her the strong talented woman she is today. Maya's perserverence through sexual abuse,living in a racist society and becoming a mother very young proved you could overcome anything. She has inspired millilons of women to persue their dreams and keep their head up. Maya will always be remebered as a strong courageous women.

References Humphrey, S. (2005). //Dare to dream! 25 extraordinary lives//. (pp. 57-59). New York: Prometheus Books. //Maya angelou//. (n.d.). Retrieved from [] Encylopedia America. (2011). //Angelou,maya//. Retrieved from []