If growing up is painful for the Southern Black girl, being aware of her displacement is the rust on the razor that threatens the throat.”
—Maya Angelou, I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings
Maya Angelou brought about a paradigm shift in American literature and culture, so that the works, the gifts, the talents of women writers, including women writers of color, could be brought to the foreground and appreciated. She created an audience by her stunning example.
—Professor Joanne Braxton, College of William and Mary