Quote Of The Day By Maya Angelou: 'I Think That We're In The Presence Of Courage When We See A...'

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This article includes discussion of sexual assault. 

Maya Angelou, whose given name was actually Marguerite Johnson, was known for her candor in her memoirs and poetry, which is what made her so beloved and relatable. She was born on April 4, 1928 in St. Louis, Missouri. Her childhood quickly became quite complicated when Angelou's parents went their separate ways and she ended up living with her grandmother in Arkansas. When she was eight, her mother's boyfriend sexually assaulted her. The poet told High Profiles in a 2002 interview that she remembered him being jailed for just one day after Angelou disclosed the crime. He was murdered after his release. "At that moment I thought that my voice had killed him, so it was wise not to say anything at all, just in case my voice would go out and kill people. And so I stopped speaking," Angelou sadly recalled. In her books, she explored this topic, along with other hot button issues including racism and politics. 

Angelou became a prominent voice in the civil rights movement, working with legendary activist Malcolm X on the Organization of Afro-American Unity (OAAU) until he was assassinated. Following his death, Angelou started working with Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., until he, too, was assassinated. Living through so much turbulence and tragedy prompted Angelou to pen her first autobiography, "I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings," which received a National Book Award nomination. Before she rose to fame in the U.S., Angelou and her son spent four years in Ghana and Egypt in the 1960s, where she was a music and drama lecturer at the University of Ghana. In 1964, she returned to the states to continue her work there. Our chosen quote of the day exemplifies her fortitude.

If you or anyone you know has been a victim of sexual assault, help is available. Visit the Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network website or contact RAINN's National Helpline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673).

"I think that we're in the presence of courage when we see a person during cruel times being kind." This is what Maya Angelou told High Profiles interviewer Nelson González in 2002 when he asked how the poet's life has shaped her view that "the greatest of all virtues is courage." What Angelou appeared to be communicating was that remaining kind in a world that can be utterly merciless takes real bravery. As such, conforming to the world's cruelty is the coward's way.

It's easy to extend kindness when you can reasonably expect it in return, or when you know you won't face any retribution. The moment that changes is when your capacity for kindness is truly tested. When you know you could get canceled on social media for helping a certain someone and you do it anyway because it's the human thing to do, that constitutes true bravery. Continuing to be kind in a world that is best weathered with a hardened heart is courageous too. Being unwilling to become desensitized to the troubles and heartbreak of others is brave. 

It's the harder thing to do, and cowards would rather look the other way. Naturally, Maya Angelou was no coward. Despite weathering the unthinkable as a child and enduring racism and inequality throughout her life, she still fought to make the world a better place, using her platform for good instead of seeking revenge. We can all learn from her example. Being kind even when it's hard is what matters most, and looking for small ways to extend kindness in a world that can be so cold and uncaring can make a real difference. Luckily, it's something we can do every day.

• "It's pretty wonderful to have enough courage to love."

• "I've seen evidence of kindness and generosity, and those have been the turning-points in my life which confirmed my belief in my privilege to be kind and generous."

• "Without courage, you can't practice any other virtue consistently — you can't be consistently fair, kind, generous, patient without courage."

• "You may encounter many defeats, but you just must never be defeated."

• "Bitterness is like cancer. It eats away at you and doesn't develop anything. But anger purges, and can help you."