Over the weekend, Maya Angelou funeral service was held at Wake Forest University in Winston-Salem North Carolina; the place she called home and worked for more than thirty years as a professor.
The private-invite only attendees included some of Maya’s dearest friends, family, along with a few dignitaries including Bill Clinton, First Lady Michelle Obama, Oprah Winfrey, Cicely Tyson, Tyler Perry and more.
There ceremony opened with an emotional tribute to Angelou. Her grandson recited an excerpt from infamous poem “I Rise”
You May Write Me Down In History/
With Your Bitter, Twisted Lies/
You May Trod Me In The Very Dirt/
But Still, Like Dust, I’ll Rise /
Dr.Angelou’ son, Guy Johnson recited one his favorite quotes saying:
” When You Learn Teach, When you Get Give! Thanks mom for the lessons. My mother loved the concept of joy. She felt it was an important ’emotion’ to keep in one’s life. “
First Lady, Michelle Obama provide an 11-minute speech which resulted in a standing ovation from the audience. Mrs. Obama says
“It is my profound honor to be here on the behalf of myself and my husband as we celebrate one of the greatest spirits of our time.”
“…… The first time I read phenomenal woman, I was struck by how she celebrated black woman’s beauty like no one had ever dare to do before”
Oprah called Maya Angelou her spiritual mother saying:
” The loss I feel, I cannot describe.”
Bill Clinton said:
” She was without a voice for five years, and then she developed the greatest voice on the planet. God loaned her his voice. She had the voice of God and he decided he wanted it back for awhile .”
Film Director, Tyler Perry says he was moved by Clinton’s speech, and reminded us ALL that EACH of us have a DUTY to pay it forward for as Maya teaches us it is a blessing to GIVE, TEACH, INSPIRE & LEARN on this journey of LIFE.
