Beloved poet and activist Dr. Maya Angelou died on Wednesday at her home in Winston-Salem, North Carolina at the age of 86.
Politicians took to Twitter on Wednesday to mourn her death.
See their reactions below:
Politicians React To The Death Of Maya Angelou
President Barack Obama (01 of10)
When her friend Nelson Mandela passed away last year, Maya Angelou wrote that “No sun outlasts its sunset, but will rise again, and bring the dawn.” Today, Michelle and I join millions around the world in remembering one of the brightest lights of our time – a brilliant writer, a fierce friend, and a truly phenomenal woman. Over the course of her remarkable life, Maya was many things – an author, poet, civil rights activist, playwright, actress, director, composer, singer and dancer. But above all, she was a storyteller – and her greatest stories were true. A childhood of suffering and abuse actually drove her to stop speaking – but the voice she found helped generations of Americans find their rainbow amidst the clouds, and inspired the rest of us to be our best selves. In fact, she inspired my own mother to name my sister Maya. Like so many others, Michelle and I will always cherish the time we were privileged to spend with Maya. With a kind word and a strong embrace, she had the ability to remind us that we are all God’s children; that we all have something to offer. And while Maya’s day may be done, we take comfort in knowing that her song will continue, “flung up to heaven” – and we celebrate the dawn that Maya Angelou helped bring. (credit:Getty)
Former President George W. Bush(02 of10)
Laura and I are saddened to learn of the death of Maya Angelou. She was among the most talented writers of our time. Her words inspired peace and equality and enriched the culture of our country. We are grateful for the work she leaves behind, and we wishher the peace she always sought. (credit:Ralph Barrera-Pool/Getty Images)
Former President Bill Clinton(03 of10)
With Maya Angelou’s passing, America has lost a national treasure; and Hillary and I, a beloved friend. The poems and stories she wrote and read to us in her commanding voice were gifts of wisdom and wit, courage and grace. I will always be grateful for her electrifying reading of “On the Pulse of Morning” at my first inaugural, and even more for all the years of friendship that followed. Now she sings the songs the Creator gave to her when the river “and the tree and the stone were one.” Our deepest sympathies are with Guy and his family. (credit:AP)
Vice President Joe Biden(04 of10)
Dr. Maya Angelou wrote that “History, despite its wrenching pain, cannot be unlived. However, if faced with courage, need not be lived again.” Few people lived with more courage and taught us more about the lessons of our history than she did. Through her own life and through our country’s struggle for civil rights—through the sting of segregation, the denial of the ballot box and rights of women, through the violence of billy clubs and bullets—Dr. Angelou’s prophetic words and resonant voice taught us about the unyielding power of love, equality, and justice for all. She was not only a recorder of history, but she was the conscience of a movement that pushed the country forward. Jill and I were honored to have met her and learned from her. We are saddened by her loss and join millions of people from around the country who will re-read her words with heavier hearts, but unbowed spirits to carry on the pursuit toward that more perfect union she gave voice to and inspired as the hero among us. (credit:Andrew Caballero-Reynolds/AFP/Getty Images)
Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.)(05 of10)
Today, the world has lost one of its most powerful voices. I am terribly saddened by the loss of such an advocate for humanity. Through the power of her words, legendary poet, author, and civil rights leader, Maya Angelou has transformed millions of lives and challenged each of us to approach life with great courage. The wisdom and love Maya shared with this nation and our world will never be forgotten. She will certainly be missed, as no one can ever replace her style, eloquence, and dedication to people of all walks of life. Her words and deeds will undeniably reverberate for generations. As we celebrate the life of Maya Angelou, may her legacy of equality, tolerance, and peace live on. (credit:Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)
House Minority Whip Steny Hoyer (D-Md.)(06 of10)
I join in mourning Maya Angelou's passing and in celebrating her extraordinary life as a poet, author, Civil Rights activist, actor, musician, and teacher. Her words and actions have inspired millions in the United States and around the world. Dr. Angelou’s life was a beacon of hope and light that she worked tirelessly to share with others through her writings and powerful stories of persevering through personal hardships and growing up in the Jim Crow South. Throughout her life, Dr. Angelou taught us that the work of overcoming intolerance begins with finding the strength within ourselves to stand up to injustice and inequality and live as examples for others to do the same. Let us remember her for the phenomenal woman that she was and draw strength from her empowering and eloquent words: ‘No sun outlasts its sunset but will rise again and bring the dawn.’ I am grateful that Maya’s light will forever continue to rise for generations to come.” (credit:Bill Clark/CQ Roll Call)
Attorney General Eric Holder (07 of10)
I was deeply saddened to learn of the passing of Maya Angelou, a true national treasure whom I have admired greatly for many, many years. Dr. Angelou was much more than a literary genius, a chronicler of Jim Crow, and a witness to history. Through her extraordinary work, she captured the tenacity of the human spirit and spoke of harsh realities in the most evocative, moving, and lyrical of ways. Over the course of a career spanning some of the most tumultuous decades of the last century, she taught us how to rise above ‘a past that’s rooted in pain.’ She gave voice to a people too often shut out of America’s public discourse. She displayed remarkable courage in the face of tremendous adversity. And she inspired generations to overcome life’s greatest challenges – through her extensive writings, her performances, her advocacy, her educational work, and her principled activism. For my family and me, Maya Angelou will always be much more than a great American and an icon in world literature. She is the namesake of one of my daughters, who met her as a young girl and celebrated her twenty-first birthday just one day before the elder Maya was lost to us. Although our hearts are filled with grief at the news of her passing – a sorrow made all the more acute by the knowledge that we shall not see her like again – she will continue to be a source of strength and inspiration. She will endure in the singular body of work she leaves behind. And she will live on in the shining example that guides our steps forward and fuels the work that remains. We have lost a legend, a trailblazer in the truest sense, and one of the guiding lights of the 20th century. Yet despite our heartache and our pain, Maya Angelou will always be with us. Her voice will continue to console, to challenge, and to inspire us. We bid her farewell today. But we know that, even now, ‘into a daybreak that’s wondrously clear,’ still she rises. (credit:Alex Wong/Getty Images)
Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska)(08 of10)
The United States and the world lost an incredible voice today -- a voice for building bridges and improving understanding among different cultures. Her message and her impact will be felt for years by all of us. Rest in peace, Maya Angelou. (credit:F. Carter Smith/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
Rep. Elijah Cummings (D-Md.)(09 of10)
Maya Angelou was a force of strength, beauty, and resilience whose voice will be missed around the world. Her ability to grasp strands of hope in even the most devastating circumstances has inspired generations of Americans, and her capacity to express her story through her poetry and prose made her an international icon. Despite experiencing poverty and violence in her childhood, Ms. Angelou danced with Alvin Ailey, acted on Broadway, taught at Wake Forest University, spoke at a Presidential inauguration, and advanced the Civil Rights Movement. In each of these roles, she served as a model of grace and determination for those who face adversity, often speaking directly to them with incomparable phrases like, 'You may trod me in the very dirt, but still, like dust, I'll rise.' Ms. Angelou blazed a trail for others to follow, and has left us a legacy that will never be forgotten. My prayers are with her family at this difficult time. (credit:Mark Wilson/Getty Images)
Rep. Marc Veasey (D-Texas)(10 of10)
A talented and remarkable woman, Dr. Maya Angelou dedicated her life to making a difference in the lives of others. I can remember reading her poetry as a young man and feeling deeply connected with the words that continue to speak to the conscience of our nation. Dr. Angelou taught us to fight for equality, love, and social justice. She inspired us to unlock the greatness within each of us. We must honor her life and legacy by lifting up others just as she has lifted us (credit:Tom Williams/CQ Roll Call)
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