And Still I Rise
A powerful collection of poems celebrating resilience and the triumph of the human spirit over oppression
This collection of poems, read in such a musical way by Maya Angelou - brought me to tears. These poems might become a nightly meditation for me.
Link to poem on PoetryFoundation.org: https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/46446/still-i-rise
A Testament to Unbreakable Spirit
Maya Angelou’s “And Still I Rise” stands as one of the most powerful and enduring collections of poetry in American literature. Published in 1978, this collection captures the essence of resilience, defiance, and celebration that defined both Angelou’s personal journey and the broader African American experience during the civil rights era and beyond.
The collection’s title poem has become an anthem of empowerment, especially in the domestic workers rights and sex workers rights movements, its refrain echoing through decades of social justice movements and personal struggles. Angelou’s voice throughout these poems is simultaneously intimate and universal, speaking to individual experiences of pain and triumph while addressing collective histories of oppression and resistance.
Angelou’s poems in this collection are unapologetically celebratory of Black identity, beauty, and culture. She reclaims narratives that have been used to oppress, transforming them into sources of strength and pride. Her work challenges racist stereotypes while affirming the richness and complexity of African American experience.
The poems explore themes of ancestry and heritage, connecting contemporary struggles to historical experiences while emphasizing continuity and strength across generations. Angelou’s voice carries the weight of history while remaining firmly rooted in her present moment.
The collection also serves as a powerful statement of feminist empowerment, particularly celebrating Black womanhood. Angelou’s poems explore the intersection of racial and gender oppression while asserting the strength, beauty, and worth of Black women.
For me, her treatment of sexuality and sensuality is particularly notable - she presents Black female sexuality as natural, powerful, and worthy of celebration rather than shame.