“With the passing of Dr. Maya Angelou, we have lost an institution and a powerful part of ourselves. She was a griot, a soothsayer, an artist and an activist. She was one of a kind. I met her several times throughout her life, when she worked for Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and after he passed. She was always thoughtful, considerate and all-engaging, a brave and courageous spirit who used her pen and her mind to make words sing. She had the ability to inspire us to take action, to stand up, speak up and speak out. She used her talent and her skill to help set this nation on a path toward freedom. America is a better place, and we are a better people because Dr. Maya Angelou lived.” –Rep. John Lewis Remarks on The Life of Dr. Maya Angelou
