Maya Angelou: And Still I Rise
Liane Buck: Wow. So, you’re saying that you had a relationship with her actually. In your opinion, do you think she realized how much of an impact or a fingerprint she had in the fabric of our contemporary society?
Bob Hercules: Well, I think she knew, I think later in life she knew the impact she had, which was really a global impact. And I think, or my impression is that earlier in her life, I’m not sure she had a specific plan. I think what I admire about her is her courage and her fearlessness to take on so many opportunities and take chances on things that a lot of people would have shirked away from.
And that might explain partially why she had such a rich and varied and unusual life. The fact that she was fearless. And that fearlessness and courage kind of lead up to creating life. And she was
also an extremely gifted person and the multifaceted person that, not only was she a phenomenal writer and poet, but obviously, she was a very talented dancer, singer, actress, director, performer.
So she was just kind of a renaissance person. But, again, I don’t think she, like most of us, we don’t start out with a plan like that. But I think as she got older, and especially after her first book came out, I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings, I think she realized that she was having a huge impact on our culture, and I think she was careful to use that impact in a wise and progressive way.
Rita Coburn Whack: I would say that it was organic in the beginning, but it also came in a place that not many people can visit and discuss. When you come out of the south in 1928 Arkansas and the racism that is ripe within this country, especially at that time, where your family members could be hung just for the color of their skin. And then you have a grandmother that you’re with who has that carriage of the black woman during that time of being very strong and fighting against those odds for you. Also not being poor. Being a landowner. This was not stereotypical. This was a woman who had forged her grandmother, Grandmother Henderson, with the courage which she imparted to this young girl.
And this young girl, who had been rejected by her mother, a lot of what she was able to do came from a place of pain. Personal, and also within this society and within its racist culture. And because she was able to overcome that, it’s no small matter. Black people today are still groping for their lives, and that’s what she was doing.
And as she was doing that, that courage was built up. So she had this indomitable spirit, of course. But what she had to go through was like building muscle, and as she was doing it, I don’t think that she realized what impact it would have. But it’s kind of in the first piece that we use, the first audio piece that we start with, which is a symbol of black existence, female existence, primarily, in this country, of overcoming.
So when she says, “You may encounter many defeats, but you must not be defeated. In fact, it may be necessary that you encounter defeat so that you know who you are.” I think that is where the courage was built. She found out who she was from conquering one defeat after another. And that’s something that does illuminate the person, and she took that to a height that many of us have not.
But at the same time, she would say she was living her life. And as she knocked down barrier after barrier, she then realized that people were coming to her for advice, were looking at her as a person of wisdom. And I agree that in her latter years, she knew what impact she had, and she used it. And she said that she would not be used, but she would be of use, and she was that in our society. And I think that’s why she was so inspirational.
