Martin Luther King, Jr., speak at the Harlem Writers Guild in the late 1950s, Angelou knew she wanted to participate actively in the civil rights movement. However, her love of language propelled her forward into a career of prolific writing, and she became a trailblazer of racial justice and feminist activism in the field of literature.Īfter hearing Dr. In her childhood, she experienced traumatic sexual assault and became mute for five years. (John Bohn / The Boston Globe via Getty Images)Īs a poet, educator and civil rights activist, Maya Angelou has uplifted generations of women with her strength and persistence. ~Maya Angelou, “Still I Rise ” (1976) Maya Angelou delivers poetry to an audience of Tufts University students on April 28, 1997. “Out of the huts of history’s shame / I rise / Up from a past that’s rooted in pain / I rise.” Their works have helped bring feminists together to communicate their struggles, and they have put words to feelings that women experience universally. These 10 women are just a few of many catalysts who harnessed language as power for feminist change. As National Poetry Month comes to an end, we’re honoring women poets who defied literary norms, navigated cross-cultural boundaries and revolutionized what we consider poetry. Poetry has always been a powerful tool for women to verbalize their lived experiences and inspire others with their resilience against patriarchal constrictions.
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