American author and poet Maya Angelou passed away on May 28, at the age of 86.

The US poet laureate died at her home in Winston-Salem, North Carolina.

Angelou was a guest lecturer at Sacramento State in May of 1973 and April of 1975. She led discussions on poetry and her lecture, titled “The Cult of Ignorance”.

According to the official website of Maya Angelou, she is also renowned for being a memoirist, novelist, educator, producer, civil rights activist, actress, filmmaker, dramatist and historian. She received more than 50 awards in her lifetime, including a Pulitzer Prize and Tony Award.

Angelou’s doctorate title is an honorary degree, of which she holds more than 20 from universities around the country.

Angelou’s autobiography I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings(1969) said when she spoke out about her rape at the age of 7, she believed her words were what got her mother’s boyfriend beaten by a mob. After that she did not speak for nearly six years.

At 14 Angelou dropped out of school and became the first African American female cable car conductor, according to the Maya Angelou website hosted by Hart and Vine.

Angelou’s autobiography, I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings, gained her international acclaim and led her to write nearly 30 more bestselling titles.

“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.” -Maya Angelou, I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings