Happy Birthday to the late, great mother of wisdom, Ms. Maya Angelou. The writer, poet and singer would have been 97 years old today, and thankfully she left behind such brilliant works for us to still feed on today. Read the great laureate’s best advice inside. 

“Thank God for you maya Angelou for all the positive things you have done for the communities and this country you were a strong woman and a good example for our young girls and ladies.”- @MarioAdameJr1

Ms. Angelou’s long career has spanned over 50 years and includes seven published autobiographies, three books of essays, several books of poetry, and slew of plays, movies, and television shows. On top of that, the legendary poet was also known for her involvement in the Civil Right movement. In 1959, she moved to New York, joined the Harlem Writers Guild where she met several major African-American authors and was published for the first time.

In the 1960’s, her career as a writer officially took off and she befriended fellow literary legends like James Baldwin and Rosa Guy. We should all be thankful that we were alive during the same lifetime to experience a rare gem such as Maya Angelou. We’re even more blessed as Black folks to have had an elder who wasn’t stingy with her wisdom.

In honor of the great poets birthday, hit the flip for some of the best life advice Ms. Maya Angelou gave us to live by. May her beautiful soul rest in peace.