Louis Gossett Jr. shares a story about an inspiring woman in his life: his great-grandmother. Join us in celebrating the powerful, creative and innovative women in our lives. Inspiring Woman is a year-long online campaign based on themes central to Dr. Angelou’s life: artistic expression, academic success, active community engagement and acceptance of difference.
Features
PBS Previews: Maya Angelou: And Still I Rise
Clip | Dr. Maya Angelou On the Creative Writing Process
Clip | Making the Film
Clip | Learn why Bill Clinton invited Maya Angelou to speak at his inauguration
Clip | Explore the strong friendship between Maya Angelou and Malcolm X in Ghana
Clip | Maya Angelou’s heartbreak after losing out on a job with Pearl Bailey
Clip | Hear how Maya Angelou met Tupac Shakur for the first time
Clip | Go behind the scenes with John Singleton
Explore Dr. Maya Angelou’s Life through her books
Clip | Learn why Maya Angelou signed with Porgy and Bess
Clip | See Maya Angelou’s early performances in the Bay Area
Clip | Behind the Scenes with Common, Rita Coburn-Whack & Maya Angelou
Clip | Maya Angelou on Teaching
Clip | Maya Angelou & James Baldwin
Maya Angelou: And Still I Rise - Trailer
Sundance Festival Announces Documentary Line-up, Including American Masters films
Maya Angelou: “Still I Rise”
In Memoriam: Maya Angelou
TRANSCRIPT
This is my great-grandmother, Bertha Ray. She was a slave, and the Bible started - she remembers the Bible being started and it didn't start until after the slaves were freed. So we have to do some crude arithmetic: that's me at 17, about to open up in my Broadway show called 'Take a Giant Step' in 1953.
and that's her at approximately the age of 115.
She was responsible for raising me and my cousins.
She was the matriarch of the family.
