(Photo: From her Website)
WASHINGTON, D.C. (SDJW)– The death of poet Maya Angelou brought words of sorrow for her passing, and praise for the works she left behind.
President Barack Obama led the nation’s mourners, saying: “When her friend Nelson Mandela passed away last year, Maya Angelou wrote that “No sun outlasts its sunset, but will rise again, and bring the dawn.”
“Today, Michelle and I join millions around the world in remembering one of the brightest lights of our time – a brilliant writer, a fierce friend, and a truly phenomenal woman. Over the course of her remarkable life, Maya was many things – an author, poet, civil rights activist, playwright, actress, director, composer, singer and dancer. But above all, she was a storyteller – and her greatest stories were true. A childhood of suffering and abuse actually drove her to stop speaking – but the voice she found helped generations of Americans find their rainbow amidst the clouds, and inspired the rest of us to be our best selves. In fact, she inspired my own mother to name my sister Maya.
“Like so many others, Michelle and I will always cherish the time we were privileged to spend with Maya. With a kind word and a strong embrace, she had the ability to remind us that we are all God’s children; that we all have something to offer. And while Maya’s day may be done, we take comfort in knowing that her song will continue, ‘flung up to heaven’– and we celebrate the dawn that Maya Angelou helped bring.”
Among Jewish public figures, Senator Ben Cardin (D-Maryland) was the first to join publicly in the mourning. He said:
“Maya Angelou’s words were powerful. She chose each one carefully and with purpose. Her life was not an easy one, but she understood that the lessons she shared with the world were important. Her stories were filled with spirit and resonance. Maya Angelou will be profoundly missed, but she will continue to be a presence, influencing generations with her words, her hope, and her love for all people of this world.”
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Preceding provided by the White House and U.S. Senator Ben Cardin