Angelou's popular works; I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings, Harlem Hopscotch, and On the Pulse of Morning uses pride, identity, poverty, racism, and violence to show her readers that she survived, that she rose above They. She was loved by the stars, Angelou was a mentor to Oprah. In 1981, he received a lifetime appointment as Reynolds Professor of Americans of American Studies at Wake Forest University (Merriam Webster). With over 50 honorary doctorates, Dr. Maya Angelou has become a celebrated poet, journalist, educator, playwright, producer, actress, historian, filmmaker, and civil rights activist (Caged Bird Legacy). Sadly, Dr. Maya Angelou passed away on May 28, 2014. “Whatever you want to do, if you want to be good at it, you have to love it and be able to make sacrifices for it.” –Dr. Maya Angelou