NEWS 4th US Service Academy

[Griz882]

Until this post, I never even heard of Maya Angelou.

There once was a Phrog Phyler who flew a ton,
and maybe he had too much fun.

One day as we flew I asked if he knew Maya Angelou,
and he said “She was in my first squadron.”

- Maya Angelou
Poet, Pulitzer Prize, Presidential Medal of Freedom

 

[PhrogPhlyer]

John Steinbeck or Robert Frost

I've read works from both of these extensively.
Being in public schools in the 60's and '70s, the name Maya Angelou was never mentioned.
I clearly remember living through three assassinations, the post King burnings of Trenton and Philadelphia. Dr. King, Abernathy, Malcom X, Carmichael, Jackson, Marshal, Meredith and Murry were discussed in school and prominent in the newspapers.
In 1962, I saw my Father come home early from work to be with his family and saying, 'This may be our last night together' because of the Cuban Missile Crisis. In addition we lived the Viet Nam War on the front page almost daily intermixed with Shepard's first flight through Armstrong's one small step.
We were not living huddled under a rock, and were well read and openly discussed the happenings of the day.
But I guess all that doesn't matter because I never heard of one person.

 

[Griz882]

I've read works from both of these extensively.
Being in public schools in the 60's and '70s, the name Maya Angelou was never mentioned.
I clearly remember living through three assassinations, the post King burnings of Trenton and Philadelphia. Dr. King, Abernathy, Malcom X, Carmichael, Jackson, Marshal, Meredith and Murry were discussed in school and prominent in the newspapers.
In 1962, I saw my Father come home early from work to be with his family and saying, 'This may be our last night together' because of the Cuban Missile Crisis. In addition we lived the Viet Nam War on the front page almost daily intermixed with Shepard's first flight through Armstrong's one small step.
We were not living huddled under a rock, and were well read and openly discussed the happenings of the day.
But I guess all that doesn't matter because I never heard of one person.

Her fame came later. Although she was well known in poetry circles (something few people seriously follow in modern times) her public fame came quickly during the Obama presidency.

 

[PhrogPhlyer]

public fame came quickly during the Obama presidency.

Thank you for that update.
This explains a lot for me, she is generationally not on my reading list.