Two independent sources and literary agent have reported to that internationally-acclaimed author Dr. Maya Angelou passed away at her home in Winston-Salem, North Carolina at the age of 86. Angelou had cancelled a recent speaking appearance due to health concerns.

A police car and an ambulance were seen outside Angelou’s home around 8:30 a.m. Winston-Salem police said they are at the home to investigate a death.

Angelou was the author of dozens of memoirs, books of poems, plays, and more, including I Know Why the Caged Bird Sing, which established her as distinguished voice in American letters. During her long and storied life, Angelou worked as everything from a dancer to foreign journalist to an organizer for the Southern Christian Leadership Conference; she was also an actress, appearing in theater productions and featuring in the TV miniseries Roots. Angelou was active in the Civil Rights movement, working with Malcolm X and Martin Luther King, Jr., and was a vocal opponent of apartheid.

Dr. Maya Angelou’s contributions to the literary field and words will live on forever.

Stay Tuned for more information on her passing.

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