Dr. Maya Angelou has passed away, aged 86 years-old.
The famed poet's death comes just days after she was forced to cancel an appearance at a luncheon set to honour her achievements.
Angelou is best known for her autobiography I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings, one of seven books she penned about her life.
In her younger years Angelou worked as a cook, a prostitute, a dancer and a journalist. In the late 80's, she first began teaching, an arena where she has left an indelible mark.
Renowned as an active member of the civil rights movement, Maya worked alongside Martin Luther King Jr. and Malcom X, while her venture into film scriptwriting with Georgia was the first ever by an African American woman. The script won her a Pulitzer Prize nomination.
Winston-Salem Mayor Allen Joines confirmed Angelou was found by her caretaker on Wednesday morning.
One of Angelou's most famous quotes reads: “I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.”
May she rest in peace.
