Manifestations of Racial Discrimination as Shown in selected Poems by Maya Angelou

This research aims to highlight the unique existence of black women as they go on their daily lives in a land in which tyranny over women is still evident. Maya Angelou is a poet who presents the existence of being black, poor, and female. She speaks in a voice for oppressed African-American women and men as she says, that she: “writes for anyone in a cage”. Her political works are characterized by a spirit of survival and success, and she presents it with such eloquent singing. A close reading of Angelou’s poetry reveals themes grounded in racism, sexism, and class distinction. This study aims at reading the poetry of Angelou as a resistance to the racist and sexist prejudices that affected the African community.