05/10/2026
Today, on World Teachers’ Day, we celebrate the educators who challenge us to think deeper, discover our voices, and recognize the possibilities within ourselves.
While Dr. Maya Angelou is remembered worldwide as a poet, author, performer, and civil rights activist, she also deeply valued another title: teacher.
Dr. Angelou joined the faculty of Wake Forest University in 1982 as the first Reynolds Professor of American Studies. Over the decades, she taught courses spanning poetry, literature, race, culture, and the humanities, inspiring generations of students both inside and beyond the classroom.
Reflecting on her calling, she once said: “I’m not a writer who teaches. I’m a teacher who writes.”
For Dr. Angelou, education was never simply about what you could learn from a textbook. Her classroom encouraged students to question, think critically, defend their ideas, encounter different perspectives, and recognize their shared humanity.
Her own approach to life was rooted in a lesson passed down to her early: “When you get, give. When you learn, teach.”
Today, we honor Dr. Angelou’s legacy as an educator and all of the teachers who continue to give what they have learned, helping shape the thinkers, creators, leaders, and teachers of tomorrow.
Tag a teacher who made a lasting impact on your life. ❤️
