Bill Clinton Remembers Maya Angelou at Memorial Service: 'God Loaned Her His Voice'
Former U.S. president Bill Clinton was one of the many public icons to attend the memorial service of American poet Maya Angelou this past weekend. He said at the service that God had loaned His voice to the well-known writer until her death.
"God loaned her His voice. She had the voice of God. And He decided He wanted it back for a while," Clinton said at the memorial service, held this past Saturday at Wake Forest University in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, where Angelou taught as the Reynolds Professor of American Studies since 1982.
The former U.S. president went on to recall his connection to Angelou's writing, as both he and the poet were born in Arkansas, and Angelou often chose Southern characters for her novels and poems. "I knew the people she was talking about, the problems she was documenting," Clinton said.
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"Her great gift in her action-packed life is that she was always paying attention," the former president continued. "She called our attention that the things that really matter – dignity, work, love and kindness – are things that we can share, and don't cost anything."
Clinton accompanied other public figures, including First Lady Michelle Obama and television personality Oprah Winfrey, in speaking at Saturday's service, which was streamed live by Wake Forest.
Winfrey reflected on the impact Angelou had on her life, as the two met in the late 1970s and Angelou served as Winfrey's mentor from then onward. Holding back tears, an emotional Winfrey said at Saturday's memorial that she "cannot describe" the loss she feels after Angelou's passing on May 28.
"She was my anchor, so it's hard to describe to you what it means when your anchor shifts," Winfrey said. "But I realized this morning I really don't have to put it into words. What I have to do is live it, because that's what she would want. She would want me, you, us to live her legacy."
The First Lady also offered a heartfelt tribute to the poet, reflecting on Angelou's confidence when she appeared at a 2008 campaign event for President Barack Obama.
"She rolled up like she owned the place – she took the stage as she always did like she'd been born there," Obama said. "And I was completely awed and overwhelmed by her presence."
Angelou was an American writer and civil rights activist, with her most notable piece of work being her autobiography, titled I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings. Angelou also wrote multiple book of poetry, one of her most beloved works being "Still I Rise." She passed away at her home in North Carolina on May 28 at the age of 86.
The funeral service held Saturday was reserved for friends and family of Angelou, but several other public memorial services are scheduled throughout the country in the coming weeks.
