Maya Angelou's quotations offer insight into resiliency, identity, and human connection and continue to have a significant and enduring influence on people and society. Photo credit: BBC.com
Maya Angelou, a celebrated author, poet, and activist born
on April 4, 1928, in St. Louis, Missouri, USA, left behind a profound legacy of
inspirational quotes that continue to resonate with people worldwide.
Her words emphasize resilience, self-worth, courage, and the
power of love and human connection. As of 2026, her quotes continue to be widely shared
and referenced across media and educational platforms, reflecting their
enduring relevance.
Maya Angelou’s quote, "Courage is the most important of
all the virtues because, without it, you can't practice any other virtue
consistently," remains profoundly relevant to mankind today as a
foundational call to bravery in the face of adversity, injustice, and personal
struggle.
Below is a compilation of some of her quotes
“My mission in life is not merely to survive, but to thrive;
and to do so with some passion, some compassion, some humor, and some style.”
“Do the best you can until you know better. Then when you
know better, do better.”
“We may encounter many defeats, but we must not be
defeated.”
“You may shoot me with your words, you may cut me with your
eyes, you may kill me with your hatefulness, but still, like air, I’ll rise.”
“I can be changed by what happens to me. But I refuse to be
reduced by it.”
“Love recognizes no barriers. It jumps hurdles, leaps fences, penetrates walls to arrive at its destination full of hope.”
“Try to be a rainbow in someone’s cloud.”
“Courage is the most important of all the virtues because
without courage, you can’t practice any other virtue consistently.”
“There is no greater agony than bearing an untold story
inside you.”
“Each time a woman stands up for herself, without knowing it,
possibly, without claiming it, she stands up for all women.”
Angelou's emphasis on courage as the foundation of moral
action provides a timeless manual for individual and societal resilience as
contemporary civilization struggles with global issues like social injustice,
mental health crises, and political conflict.