Remembering Dr. Angelou, 1928–2014

Abstract

Dr. Angelou was a teacher to millions who savored her lectures, prose, and poetry. As we continue to mourn her passing, may we apply her wisdom to our nation’s ongoing freedom struggles. The non-indictment in the Michael Brown case, the non-indictment in the Eric Garner case, and the killing of twelve-year-old Tamir Rice, who was shot while holding a toy gun, all raise questions about the ways Black bodies get policed and have led many to publicly affirm that “Black lives matter.” The national protests and movements these incidents sparked have drawn large multiethnic and multigenerational crowds demonstrating a coalitional consciousness such as Dr. Angelou would champion. In this collective spirit we must continue to tackle structural racism in the criminal justice system, and confront longstanding disparities in health, housing, lending, and wealth.