A HOUSE RESOLUTION honoring the life and memory of dr. maya angelou, poet, novelist, educator, actress, HISTORIan, filmmaker, mentor, and civil rights leader.
Whereas, Maya Angelou was born Marguerite Annie Johnson on April 4, 1928, in St. Louis, Missouri; and
Whereas, Maya Angelou lived in Stamps, Arkansas, prior to moving to San Francisco; and
Whereas, Maya Angelou studied dance and drama at San Francisco's California Labor School and graduated from George Washington High School; and
Whereas, during her early years, Maya Angelou held a number of jobs, including serving as San Francisco's first African-American female cable car conductor, a cook, and a nightclub singer; and
Whereas, during the mid-1950s, Maya Angelou toured Europe with a production of the opera "Porgy and Bess," studied modern dance with Martha Graham, and danced with Alvin Ailey on television variety shows; and
Whereas, Maya Angelou recorded her first record album, Calypso Lady, in 1957; and
Whereas, Maya Angelou moved to New York in 1958, where she joined the Harlem Writers Guild, and later performed in the historic off-Broadway production of Jean Genet's "The Blacks" with cast members that included James Earl Jones, Louis Gossett, Jr., and Cicely Tyson; and
Whereas, during the early 1960s, Maya Angelou lived in Cairo, Egypt, where she was the editor of an English language magazine, and in Ghana, where she taught at a local university; and
Whereas, during her years abroad, Maya Angelou mastered several languages, including French, Spanish, Italian, and Arabic; and
Whereas, Maya Angelou was active in the Civil Rights Movement and was a personal friend of both Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., and Malcolm X; and
Whereas, in 1970, Maya Angelou gained international fame after publishing her critically acclaimed memoir, "I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings," which was nominated for the National Book Award; and
Whereas, Maya Angelou has published more than 30 best-selling titles, including her collection of poems, "Just Give Me a Cool Drink of Water 'Fore I Die," which earned her a Pulitzer Prize nomination; and
Whereas, Maya Angelou was the first African-American female director in Hollywood and wrote the screenplay and composed the score for the 1972 film, "Georgia, Georgia;" and
Whereas, Maya Angelou also wrote and produced several prize-winning documentaries, including "Afro-Americans in the Arts," a PBS special for which she received the Golden Eagle Award; and
Whereas, Maya Angelou appeared in several television shows and films, including the landmark television adaptation of Alex Haley's "Roots" in 1977 and John Singleton's "Poetic Justice" in 1993, and she directed her first feature film, "Down in the Delta," in 1996; and
Whereas, Maya Angelou served in various capacities to several presidents of the United States, including President Gerald Ford, who appointed her to the American Revolution Bicentennial Commission, and President Jimmy Carter, who appointed her to serve on the Presidential Commission for the International Year of the Woman; and
Whereas, at the request of President Bill Clinton, Maya Angelou composed what has become one of her most well-known poems, "On the Pulse of the Morning," which she read during his 1993 inauguration; and
Whereas, Maya Angelou taught at Wake Forest University in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, as Reynolds Professor of American Studies for over 30 years; and
Whereas, Maya Angelou received a number of other honors and awards, including the Presidential Medal of the Arts in 2000; the Ford's Theatre Lincoln Medal in 2008; the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2011; over 50 honorary degrees; and three Grammy Awards; and
Whereas, Maya Angelou died on May 28, 2014, at the age of 86; and
Whereas, Maya Angelou is survived by her son, daughter-in-law, two grandsons, two great-grandchildren, a nephew, a niece, grandnieces, great-grandnieces, grandnephews, great-grandnephews, and a host of beloveds; and
Whereas, Maya Angelou was an extraordinary woman, who inspired countless others, and will be remembered for her many talents and lasting legacy; Now, therefore,
Be it resolved by the House of Representatives:
SECTION 1.  The House of Representatives honors the memory of Dr. Maya Angelou and expresses the appreciation of the citizens of this State for her contributions to the arts, literature, and history.
SECTION 2.  The House of Representatives extends its deepest sympathy to the family of Dr. Maya Angelou for the loss of a beloved family member.
SECTION 3.  The Principal Clerk shall transmit a certified copy of this resolution to the family of Dr. Maya Angelou.
SECTION 4.  This resolution is effective upon adoption.