The Voice that Rose from Silence: Maya Angelou's Journey from Muteness to Mighty Voice

Maya Angelou was 8 years old when she stopped speaking.

It would be 5 years until she said another word.

This silence was the result of a horrific event in her life. At 8, Angelou was sexually assaulted by her mothers boyfriend. After the incident, she informed her brother and her family immediately had the man arrested and imprisoned. His jail sentence was only 1 night.

Days after his release, the abuser was found dead. It’s believed that he was kicked to death.

After hearing what happened, Angelou felt such guilt for his murder, that she didn't speak for the next 5 years.

“I thought my voice killed him; I killed that man because I told his name. And then I thought I would never speak again because my voice would kill anyone …”

In the following 5 years, Angelou became an avid reader and listener. She was fiercely empathetic and loved learning about people’s backgrounds and stories. Eventually with the help of her brother and school teacher, she started to speak again. Around the age of 13, she began by reciting poetry aloud to herself, and slowly moved on to talk with her family.

This child went on to act in successful theater shows, sing as a recording artist, and eventually become one of the most powerful voices during the Civil Rights Movement in the 1960’s.

About the Creator

Maya Angelou was an American memoirist, poet, and civil rights activist known for her autobiographical works, including "I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings." She also worked as a fry cook, sex worker, and actress, singer, and was instrumental in the Civil Rights Movement, working alongside Martin Luther King Jr. and Malcolm X.

Angelou's works are widely used in schools and universities worldwide, and center on themes of racism, identity, family, and travel.