Sunday, July 19, 2020

How to Cite a Meme

How to Cite a Meme (5) The meme is one of the funniest and weirdest trends to arise from digital images on the Internet. There are memes to make you laugh at almost anything, from funny cats to politicians to a successful kid. Though unconventional, if you choose cite a meme this guide can help! The best way to cite a meme is to use a citation structure similar to what you would use for citing a digital image. Memes are, after all, digital images that have been slightly altered or edited. To cite a meme properly, you must identify the following pieces of information: Title of meme. If it has no official title, create a short description of your own Title of the website where the meme was published URL of the website the meme was published Date the meme was published (if known) Date you accessed/retrieved the meme Publisher of the site Basically, identify the website where the meme was posted. Then, cite the meme like you would if you found it through the original website where it was posted. Let’s review how to do this in MLA format,  APA format, and Chicago/Turabian. For our examples, let’s look at the meme “I Regret Nothing” found at http://knowyourmeme.com/photos/257271-i-regret-nothing. Use the following structure to cite a meme in MLA 8: Title of meme/image or your own description of the image and meme. Title of the Website where it was published, Publisher, Day Mo. Year it was published (if you know it). URL (remove http:// or https://). Here’s how the above example would be cited in MLA format: I regret nothing meme. Know Your Meme, Literally Media, 24 Feb. 2002,  knowyourmeme.com/photos/257271-i-regret-nothing. Use the following structure to cite a meme in APA: Title of meme/image or your own description of the image [Digital image]. (Year Published). Retrieved from URL Here’s how the above example would be cited in APA format: I regret nothing [Digital image]. (2002). Retrieved from http://knowyourmeme.com/photos/257271-i-regret-nothing Use the following structure to cite a meme in Chicago/Turabian: Title or description. Digital image. Website Title. Mo. Day, Year Published. Accessed Mo. Day, Year (only include if there is no publication date). URL. Here’s how the above example would be cited in Chicago/Turabian: I Regret Nothing. Digital image. Know Your Meme. Feb. 24, 2002. http://knowyourmeme.com/photos/257271-i-regret-nothing.

Thursday, May 21, 2020

Invertir Conjugation in Spanish, Translation, and Examples

The Spanish verb invertir can mean to invest or to invert. This article includes invertir conjugations in the present, past and future indicative, the present and past subjunctive, the imperative, and other verb forms. You will notice that invertir is a stem-changing verb. In this case, the e changes to ie and sometimes to i when the syllable is stressed. Using the Verb Invertir Invertir can mean to invest or to invert. To invert means to reverse or turn inside out. However, the most common meaning of invertir is to invest. It can be used to talk about investing money, such as invertir dinero en la compaà ±Ãƒ ­a (invest money in the company). It can also be used in the sense of investing or spending time on something, such as invertir tiempo en sus hijos (invest time in your children). Invertir Present Indicative In the present indicative tense, the spelling change e to ie occurs in all of the conjugations except nosotros and vosotros. Yo invierto I invest Yo invierto el dinero en mi compaà ±Ãƒ ­a. Tà º inviertes You invest Tà º inviertes mucho tiempo en tu negocio. Usted/à ©l/ella invierte You/he/she invests Ella invierte en la bolsa de valores. Nosotros invertimos We invest Nosotros invertimos en la educacià ³n de nuestros hijos. Vosotros invertà ­s You invest Vosotros invertà ­s en la salud pà ºblica. Ustedes/ellos/ellas invierten You/they invest Ellos invierten su tiempo en un proyecto nuevo. Invertir Preterite Indicative In the preterite tense the spelling change occurs only for the third person singular and plural conjugations. Note that the spelling change is different, since the e only changes to i. Yo invertà ­ I invested Yo invertà ­ el dinero en mi compaà ±Ãƒ ­a. Tà º invertiste You invested Tà º invertiste mucho tiempo en tu negocio. Usted/à ©l/ella invirtià ³ You/he/she invested Ella invirtià ³ en la bolsa de valores. Nosotros invertimos We invested Nosotros invertimos en la educacià ³n de nuestros hijos. Vosotros invertisteis You invested Vosotros invertisteis en la salud pà ºblica. Ustedes/ellos/ellas invirtieron You/they invested Ellos invirtieron su tiempo en un proyecto nuevo. Invertir Imperfect Indicative In the imperfect tense conjugations there are no spelling changes, since it is simply conjugated by adding the imperfect ending for -er and -ir verbs (à ­a, à ­as, à ­a, à ­amos, à ­ais, à ­an). The imperfect can be translated as was investing or used to invest. Yo invertà ­a I used to invest Yo invertà ­a el dinero en mi compaà ±Ãƒ ­a. Tà º invertà ­as You used to invest Tà º invertà ­as mucho tiempo en tu negocio. Usted/à ©l/ella invertà ­a You/he/she used to invest Ella invertà ­a en la bolsa de valores. Nosotros invertà ­amos We used to invest Nosotros invertà ­amos en la educacià ³n de nuestros hijos. Vosotros invertà ­ais You used to invest Vosotros invertà ­ais en la salud pà ºblica. Ustedes/ellos/ellas invertà ­an You/they used to invest Ellos invertà ­an su tiempo en un proyecto nuevo. Invertir Future Indicative The future tense conjugations have no spelling change either, since the future is simply conjugated with the infinitive form invertir and the future tense endings. Yo invertirà © I will invest Yo invertirà © el dinero en mi compaà ±Ãƒ ­a. Tà º invertirà ¡s You will invest Tà º invertirà ¡s mucho tiempo en tu negocio. Usted/à ©l/ella invertirà ¡ You/he/she will invest Ella invertirà ¡ en la bolsa de valores. Nosotros invertiremos We will invest Nosotros invertiremos en la educacià ³n de nuestros hijos. Vosotros invertirà ©is You will invest Vosotros invertirà ©is en la salud pà ºblica. Ustedes/ellos/ellas invertirà ¡n You/they will invest Ellos invertirà ¡n su tiempo en un proyecto nuevo. Invertir Periphrastic  Future Indicative   To form the periphrastic future tense you need the present indicative conjugation of the verb ir (to go), the preposition a, and the infinitive invertir. Yo voy a invertir I am going to invest Yo voya invertir el dinero en mi compaà ±Ãƒ ­a. Tà º vasa invertir You are going to invest Tà º vasa invertir mucho tiempo en tu negocio. Usted/à ©l/ella vaa invertir You/he/she is going to invest Ella vaa invertir en la bolsa de valores. Nosotros vamosa invertir We are going to invest Nosotros vamosa invertir en la educacià ³n de nuestros hijos. Vosotros vaisa invertir You are going to invest Vosotros vaisa invertir en la salud pà ºblica. Ustedes/ellos/ellas vana invertir You/they are going to invest Ellos vana invertir su tiempo en un proyecto nuevo. Invertir Present Progressive/Gerund Form The gerund or present participle can be used as an adverb or to form progressive verb forms, like the present progressive. The gerund for invertir has a spelling change, but notice that the change is only e to i. Present Progressive of Invertir està ¡ invirtiendo Is investing Ella està ¡ invirtiendo en la bolsa de valores. Invertir Past Participle Compound tenses like the present perfect are formed with the verb haber plus the past participle. The past participle for -ir verbs is formed with the ending -ido. Present Perfect of Invertir ha invertido Has invested Ella ha invertido en la bolsa de valores. Invertir Conditional Indicative There are no spelling changes in the conditional tense, since it is simply formed with the infinitive invertir and the conditional endings. Yo invertirà ­a I would invest Yo invertirà ­a el dinero en mi compaà ±Ãƒ ­a si tuviera un buen futuro. Tà º invertirà ­as You would invest Tà º invertirà ­as mucho tiempo en tu negocio si pudieras. Usted/à ©l/ella invertirà ­a You/he/she would invest Ella invertirà ­a en la bolsa de valores si tuviera mà ¡s dinero. Nosotros invertirà ­amos We would invest Nosotros invertirà ­amos en la educacià ³n de nuestros hijos si fuà ©ramos padres. Vosotros invertirà ­ais You would invest Vosotros invertirà ­ais en la salud pà ºblica si tuvierais la oportunidad. Ustedes/ellos/ellas invertirà ­an You/they would invest Ellos invertirà ­an su tiempo en un proyecto nuevo, pero es muy complicado. Invertir Present Subjunctive In the present subjunctive, there is a spelling change in all of the conjugations. Most of the conjugations have the change e to ie, but nosotros and vosotros have the change e to i only. Que yo invierta That I invest Mi socio espera que yo invierta el dinero en mi compaà ±Ãƒ ­a. Que tà º inviertas That you invest Tu esposo quiere que tà º inviertas mucho tiempo en tu negocio. Que usted/à ©l/ella invierta That you/he/she invest El contador sugiere que ella invierta en la bolsa de valores. Que nosotros invirtamos That we invest La directora espera que nosotros invirtamos en la educacià ³n de nuestros hijos. Que vosotros invirtà ¡is That you invest El mà ©dico sugiere que vosotros invirtà ¡is en la salud pà ºblica. Que ustedes/ellos/ellas inviertan That you/they invest La jefa espera que ellos inviertan su tiempo en un proyecto nuevo. Invertir Imperfect Subjunctive To conjugate the imperfect subjunctive you can start with the third person plural conjugation (ellos, ellas, ustedes) in the preterite tense (invirtieron), then remove the on, and add the imperfect subjunctive endings. There are two options to conjugate the imperfect subjunctive, shown in the tables below. Option 1 Que yo invirtiera That I invested Mi socio esperaba que yo invirtiera el dinero en mi compaà ±Ãƒ ­a. Que tà º invirtieras That you invested Tu esposo querà ­a que tà º invirtieras mucho tiempo en tu negocio. Que usted/à ©l/ella invirtiera That you/he/she invested El contador sugerà ­a que ella invirtiera en la bolsa de valores. Que nosotros invirtià ©ramos That we invested La directora esperaba que nosotros invirtià ©ramos en la educacià ³n de nuestros hijos. Que vosotros invirtierais That you invested El mà ©dico sugerà ­a que vosotros invirtierais en la salud pà ºblica. Que ustedes/ellos/ellas invirtieran That you/they invested La jefa esperaba que ellos invirtieran su tiempo en un proyecto nuevo. Option 2 Que yo invirtiese That I invested Mi socio esperaba que yo invirtiese el dinero en mi compaà ±Ãƒ ­a. Que tà º invirtieses That you invested Tu esposo querà ­a que tà º invirtieses mucho tiempo en tu negocio. Que usted/à ©l/ella invirtiese That you/he/she invested El contador sugerà ­a que ella invirtiese en la bolsa de valores. Que nosotros invirtià ©semos That we invested La directora esperaba que nosotros invirtià ©semos en la educacià ³n de nuestros hijos. Que vosotros invirtieseis That you invested El mà ©dico sugerà ­a que vosotros invirtieseis en la salud pà ºblica. Que ustedes/ellos/ellas invirtiesen That you/they invested La jefa esperaba que ellos invirtiesen su tiempo en un proyecto nuevo. Invertir Imperative Most of the imperative conjugations have a spelling change, either e to ie or e to i. Conjugations vary slightly for the positive and negative commands. Positive Commands Tà º invierte Invest!  ¡Invierte tu tiempo en tu negocio! Usted invierta Invest!  ¡Invierta en la bolsa de valores! Nosotros invirtamos Let's invest!  ¡Invirtamos en la educacià ³n de nuestros hijos! Vosotros invertid Invest!  ¡Invertid en la salud pà ºblica! Ustedes inviertan Invest!  ¡Inviertan su tiempo en un proyecto nuevo! Negative Commands Tà º no inviertas Don't invest!  ¡No inviertas tu tiempo en tu negocio! Usted no invierta Don't invest!  ¡No invierta en la bolsa de valores! Nosotros no invirtamos Let's not invest!  ¡No invirtamos en la educacià ³n de nuestros hijos! Vosotros no invirtà ¡is Don't invest!  ¡No invirtà ¡is en la salud pà ºblica! Ustedes no inviertan Don't invest!  ¡No inviertan su tiempo en un proyecto nuevo!

Wednesday, May 6, 2020

Macbeth Character Analysis - 919 Words

William Shakespeare’s uses of dynamic characters show no boundaries to showcase a deeper understanding of his characters in his play Macbeth. The main characters of Macbeth and Lady Macbeth decline over time in the play to show how complex the characters are. Macbeth establishes his position to be a warrior hero who defeats the King of Norway, yet he turns ambitious for more than the Thane of Cawdor with his desire for greater power. Controversial to Lady Macbeth, her desire for power from the start declines over time, and at the end of the play, she is overcome with the total defeat of remorse. With the defeat of the King of Norway, Shakespeare establishes the character of Macbeth to be a brave and notable in battle such as someone who,†¦show more content†¦This shows his complete guilt and remorse in his crime. Shakespeare makes Macbeth quickly get over his guilt and decides to go all the way if he is already halfway through his plan. This shows how one-dimensional his character will be by demonstrating his greedy for power. He even abandons his close friendship with Banquo and hires murderers to kill Banquo and his son. Macbeth knows they will pose a threat to his title and power since the witches say Banquo’s descendants will be king. Macbeth reaches a point where he feels no fear, â€Å"Hang those talk of fear. Give me mine armour† (V.3.36) which shows his greedy has come to blind his emotions, and â€Å"Yet I will try the last. Before my body / I throw my warlike shield: lay on, Macduff† (V.7.61-62) to show that his single motive for power gives him his last motivation in defending his position and dying trying to protect his power. Shakespeare establishes Lady Macbeth’s character to be malicious once Macbeth informs her about the witches’ prophecy coming true. She decides, â€Å"O, never / Shall sun that morrow see† (I.5.60) which shows she already thought about killing Duncan once she gets inform about Duncan’s visit. She is decisive about the malicious act that she gets Macbeth to go forth and agree with the crime by calling him a coward, â€Å"When you durst do it, then youShow MoreRelatedMacbeth s Character Analysis : Macbeth1086 Words   |  5 PagesMacbeth s Character Analysis Shakespeare presents Macbeth as a noble thane of King Duncan in the beginning of the play. The three witches tell Macbeth he will become King of Scotland; his desire and ambition to become king causes him to suffer. Macbeth’s greed causes his change in character, and this is revealed by what he says, what he does, and what others say about him. Macbeth’s changes are revealed through what he says. Thomas Thrasher said, â€Å"Macbeth is a noble character of flawless moralsRead More Macbeth: Character Analysis Of Macbeth Essay1040 Words   |  5 Pages Macbeth: Character Analysis of Macbeth nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;Macbeth was a true Shakespearean tragic hero. He had many noble qualities as well as several tragic flaws. He was a courageous, brave and good nobleman who was haunted by superstition, moral cowardice and an overwhelming ambition. Progressively through the play, his flaws started consuming his qualities until they are that can be seen of him. nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;Macbeth was a courageous and strong nobleman. He and BanquoRead MoreEssay Macbeth Character Analysis577 Words   |  3 Pages Character Analysis nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;In the tragedy Macbeth, written by William Shakespeare, many character traits are portrayed through the various characters throughout the play. Macbeth was one of Shakespeareamp;#8217;s greatest tragedies. It was completed in 1606 and was most likely first performed before King James I and his royal family at Hampton Court. King James I is believed to be a direct descendent of the character Banquo. Probably the most potent character trait expressedRead MoreLady Macbeth Character Analysis1057 Words   |  5 PagesLady Macbeth: If we look at the stage time Lady Macbeth’s character gets throughout the play, we cannot be consider her to be marginalised. Appearing in about 10 scenes, she has a great number of powerful, memorable monologues and is for all intents and purposes, the female protagonist. It is however the changes her character goes through that classifes her as marginalised. Her character is the one undergoing the greatest transformation. She begins the play with full strength and a dominating personalityRead MoreMacbeth Character Analysis964 Words   |  4 Pages In the Shakespearean play ‘Macbeth’, the title character and his wife Lady Macbeth become the victims of the destructive force that is evil. Although the two characters shelter a sinister persona, Macbeth is less virtuous, demonstrating his villainous qualities conspicuously due to the crimes he committed that Lady Macbeth did not instigate. However, it is evident that Lady Macbeth, intertwined with other outside factors, was the primary motivation for Macbeth’s immoral inclinations, as she is viewedRead MoreMacbeth Character Analysis1102 Words   |  5 Pagestough doesn’t make you mentally strong, in the play Macbeth, there is a huge theme of manhood placed throughout. William Shakespeare is the creator of Macbeth and is a genius for placing the theme in this tragedy play. The main character, Macbeth, struggle to find his manhood. Banquo , Macbeth’s best friend, is a true man, as well as a character with the name of Macduff. In acts one through fo ur of Shakespeare’s play Macbeth, Banquo, as well as Macbeth and Macduff, will show or try to prove their manhoodRead MoreMacbeth Character Analysis928 Words   |  4 PagesA story is only as good as the characters within them, and in the case of William Shakespeare’s play Macbeth, countless individuals are used to progress the tragedy of the disaster that is Macbeth. Lady Macbeth assists in her husband’s inevitable demise by initially providing the reprehensible plan to murder Duncan, and by lowering her husband’s confidence with criticism. Early on in Shakespeare’s play, Macbeth receives a mysterious message from three witches, promising his title as Thane of CawdorRead MoreMacbeth Character Analysis747 Words   |  3 Pageshalf by supernatural force and half by your own action, because sometimes people can make their decisions and that will affect their destiny. In â€Å"Sports Genes†, â€Å"Into the Wild†, and â€Å"Macbeth†, the main characters all made their own choice but there were still outside forces that effected their decisions. In â€Å"Macbeth† although he made his own decisions of doing all the bad things he is doing, but the witches are the ones who affected his decisions and made him do all the things. In â€Å"Sports Genes†Read MoreCharacter Analysis Of Macbeth1120 Words   |  5 PagesThe tragic poem of Macbeth is filled with challenges against the accepted societal norms. Macbeth was a normal man whose greed and ambition had led him to murder the king for th e throne. Shakespeare often displays conflicts through characters internal battle with themselves, contemplating whether to make decisions that could alter societys view on them. One of the most significant examples of this is through the unfortunate Macbeth, who had violently forced his way into the throne. This path thatRead MoreMacbeth Character Analysis1140 Words   |  5 Pagesï » ¿Macbeth Thane of Glamis and Cawdor General in the King’s army Physical description and traits: Macbeth is ambitious, as well as superstitious, he is known for his military prowess, boldness and bravery. He is peerless, affectionate, loyal, dominant in imposing stern terms upon he vanquished. He is hubris, as well as an opportunist. He has a conscience, which hinders him at first in securing the crown. Role in Play: Macbeth is the protagonist, he is also the tragic hero. Role in the Plot:

Divorce Essay Free Essays

The Beginning of the End Growing up I always believed divorce was the worst mistake a couple could make. Now that I am older I now have a different view on divorce. My parents divorced when I was seventeen years old, and since going through this experience I view divorce differently. We will write a custom essay sample on Divorce Essay or any similar topic only for you Order Now Although most people think of divorce as a negative thing, I think sometimes it turns out to be the best decision for everyone involved. When I was a little girl all I would hear from people is how divorce was wrong and couples should always work out their differences. My parents would always assure me that â€Å"no matter how much we fight, we will never get a divorce†. As the years went on things started changing in my parent’s relationship and we saw their marriage starting to dissolve. My sister and I could see that they were no longer the happily married couple they had been for the past 25 years. Eventually my father’s personality started to change, and he no longer was interested in family activities or spending quality time with my sister and I. He was not the dad we had known our whole lives. After realizing his behavioral changes he finally went to go see a professional. After a few sessions with the doctor and many counseling sessions with my mom, my dad was diagnosed with depression. We had already seen first hand what depression could do to a marriage, as his parents had gotten divorced after my dad’s mother was diagnosed with depression. As time went by I saw my father’s depression taking a toll on my mother’s happiness and her daily attitude. I wanted both of my parents to be happy, but was that too much to ask of them to stay together? I knew my father had changed and was not the same man my mom had fallen in love with 25 years earlier. My dad was no longer the fun, ambitious, adventurous guy my mom had met back in college. Instead my dad was bitter, had frequent outburst, and a constant negative outlook on life. When my parents finally reached the decision to divorce my family knew it was going to be a tough road ahead. Although my sister and I were upset we knew it was for the best, it was just going to take some adjusting. Luckily the divorce was very civil and my parents are still able to maintain a peaceful relationship for the sake of my sister and I. We both know my parents love us and that the divorce had nothing to do with anything we had done. My dad has since gotten help and my sister and I visit him often. He is getting back to the fun, loving, kind man we all knew him to be. Unfortunately, my dad waited to late to make changes in his life to save his marriage. Today, my parents are both in healthy relationships with other people. My sister and I enjoy spending time with both families and feel blessed these new people are in our lives. I had a very negative view on marriage when my parents told me they were divorcing, but since that time I feel not everyone gets divorced and marriage takes a lot of work. Although the divorce was hard to swallow, it is good to see both of my parents happy again. Now that my parent’s divorce is final everyone seems to be more peaceful and happy with their lives. I am not saying divorce is the right decision for everyone, but I am saying depending on the situation sometimes it is the best choice. I have learned through my experience not to judge others that are divorced because everyone’s situation is different. I feel my parents made the right decision for our family and I am a stronger, and happier person as a result. How to cite Divorce Essay, Essays

Sunday, April 26, 2020

What The Doctor Ordered Essays - Frankenstein,

What The Doctor Ordered WHAT THE DOCTOR ORDERED Life is a rat race. In order to succeed, one is required to stay in the front of the pack. To lead a happy, loving life, however, one must stop and smell the roses so the meaningful qualities in life don't pass you by. A prime example of a person who overlooks this aspect of life can be found in Mary Shelley's Frankenstein. Through Dr. Frankenstein, Shelley warns readers of the consequences of playing god and allowing business to take you away from the simple pleasures in life. As shown through him, too much knowledge and determination may not be what the doctor ordered. Frankenstein illustrates god-like characteristics by creating a living creature. As a boy he was deeply smitten with the thirst for knowledge (22), and obtained an eager desire to learn (23). This dedication and love for science he pursued led him to crave more and strive to go one step further than other scientists have in the past. Devoting his life to learning the sciences of the human frame, Frankenstein became capable of bestowing animation upon lifeless matter (37), and recognizes the chance to become the father of a new type of species he can take credit for. Ironically, Frankenstein's creature obtains the power to destroy his creator, along with all civilization. If God, the single perfect being, cannot create perfect life, how could an imperfect person possibly do it? Frankenstein is oblivious to the danger of his knowledge and to the citadel of nature (25) he will enter by becoming aware of the secrets of heaven and earth (23). Frankenstein travels down a dangerous path whe n he goes as far as to play God by exploring supernatural life and after his work is complete, he fearfully realizes that he not only created a new life, but with that life, he brought a new form of evil into the world. During the two years Frankenstein worked on his creation he became totally absorbed in his work which leads to neglect towards himself, his family, and the beautiful scenes of nature he, in the past, took pleasure in. Once he dived headfirst into his project, he showed no signs of coming up for air. Frankenstein puts his life on hold and seemed to have lost all soul or sensation but for this one pursuit (39). In fear of an unsuccessful outcome, he ruthlessly works day and night trying to complete his work. In the process, he deprived [himself] of rest and health (42) and became pale and emaciated due to this lacking. Not only did he neglect his health, Frankenstein also overlooked his loving family who began to worry about him. Obviously [he] knew [his] silence disquieted them (40), but couldn't tear himself away from his work long enough to simply reply to their letters. Another pleasure Frankenstein tried to forget was the nature he had always found comfort in. However, not even th e charms of nature (40) could break the force field isolating Frankenstein and his creation in the study. Once he realized all the pleasures he set aside due to the overwhelming desire he beheld for his work, Frankenstein began making excuses. He made himself believe that the passion and peace he felt towards his family and the beauties of nature stood as an obstacle in his path and would only disturb his tranquility (40). When you give up the things you love and the aspects of life that have always given pleasure to you, you risk losing them forever. Frankenstein became so caught up in his work he missed out on two years of his life. He never visited his family and it wasn't until after his work was done did he read a letter sent to him by Elizabeth updating him on everything that had gone on. After Frankenstein is aware of the monster he produced, he understands all he gave up and now regrets what he allowed his life to become. Getting caught up in the rat race led Dr. Victor Frankenstein to the terrible fate like had in store for him. All too late, he realizes that a truly happy man never losses sight of the important aspects he

Wednesday, March 18, 2020

Transformational vs Transactional Leadership Essays

Transformational vs Transactional Leadership Essays Transformational vs Transactional Leadership Paper Transformational vs Transactional Leadership Paper Leadership Styles, High-Quality Leader-Follower (LMX) Relationships and Job Performance The current globalized economic environment is becoming increasingly dynamic and competitive forcing organizations to improve their business practices to overcome greater challenges with more flexibility, efficiency and innovation in products and internal processes (Walumbwa et al. 2005, p. 235). Certainly, there is fundamental evidence of the positive association of leadership style and the influence on follower’s behaviour as a consistent way to improve job performance and organizational outcomes (Vaccaro et al. 2010). The aim of this paper is to demonstrate the impact of transformational and transactional leadership styles on leader member exchange relationships, job performance and job satisfaction. By using theories such Weber’s conceptualization of charismatic leadership, Burns’ transactional leadership and Bass’ Four I’s of transformational leadership, this paper acknowledge the superiority of transformational over transactional leadership style in developing high-quality leader-follower (LMX) relationships, increasing followers’ job performance and Job satisfaction. Recalling previous studies which asserted the dependence of leadership effectiveness on culture and organizational size (Paul et al. 001), it seems clear that transformational leadership is a more suitable leadership style for small, large and complex companies across cultures facing the challenges of globalization of markets. The superiority of transformational leadership style in building high-quality leader-follower (LMX) relationships is given to the practice of one or more of the Four I’s leadership behaviour. Firstly, Idealized influence through a charismatic behavi our will illustrate the positive influence on followers and their performance. It is followed by the ability to motivate team work and the achievement of general goals that produce personal satisfaction and commitment with the company (inspirational motivation). Furthermore, intellectual stimulation will certainly demonstrate how innovation and creativeness is promoted and their impact on organizational results. Finally, individualized consideration in hand with LMX theory will provide an example of the undoubted benefits of dyadic relationships in ‘in-group’ such greater loyalty and commitment. Leadership styles, high-quality leader-follower (LMX) relationships and Job performance. Focusing in the work of Burns (1978) and Bass (1985) on leadership behaviours, transformational and transactional leadership have been the objective of various research in order to capture the extent to which leaders influence subordinates by involving them in the organization’s goals, or by specifying the rewards that will follow the accomplishment of those goals (Rubin et al. 2005; Yammarino et al. 1997) According to Podsakoff et al. 1990) a fundamental characteristic of transformational leadership behaviour is the ability to create a compelling vision for the organization, providing an appropriate model consistent with that vision, stimulating the acceptance of group goals, expecting high performance, providing individualized support and intellectual stimulation. In contrast, transactional leadership is primarily concern with gaining compliance from subordinates by using a contingent re ward dimension or a passive form of managing by exception. The leader specifies what is expected from organizational members and the subsequent reward for its accomplishment (Bass and Avolio 1990). According to LMX theory, a high-quality leader-follower (LMX) relationship, usually associated with dyads in the ‘in-groups’ of the organization, emphasizes in fundamental levels of loyalty, commitment, respect, affection, mutual trust and the possibility of mutual linking between leaders and followers (House et al. 1993). Transformational rather than transactional leadership is more likely to achieve this superior level in the follower-leader relationship by developing one or more of the Four I’s; Idealized influence, inspirational motivation, intellectual stimulation and individualized consideration (Bass, BM and Avolio, BJ (eds. ) 1994). Idealized influence A transformational leader acts in a way that becomes a role model or inspirational image for his/her followers (Zhang, X, Cao, Q and Tjosvold, D 2010) usually attributed to his/her charismatic approach. Certainly, charisma in meant to be a requirement for transformational leadership. According to Weber (1947) a charismatic leadership can inspire and motivate people to do more than originally intended. What is more, they can influence followers by arousing strong emotions in support of the organizational vision, creating a leader-follower relationship based on a common value system between leader, follower and organization (Paul et al. 2001). Towler (2003) demonstrated that workers who received a charismatic-training performed better on their knowledge test and were more satisfied with the task. Unlike, transactional leadership emphasizes in the transaction that takes place with followers based on explicit discussion of the rewards they will receive if they fulfil the requirements. As a consequence, the relationship with is limited to the leader’s ability to control the outcomes desired by followers. However, as Dorfman et al. (1999) argued, charismatic behaviour can have a negative implication on societies with a history of autocratic and despotic leaders. Inspirational motivation Undoubtedly, the contingent transactional reinforcement system motivates followers to perform in such adequate way in order to obtain the reward. However, through this system, followers’ job performance, as well as commitment, is strongly limited to fulfil the requirements of the contract in a self-satisfying attitude (Avolio,BJ, Bass, BM and Jung, DI 1999) rather than a commitment with the leader and organizational vision he/she has established. Contrary, transformational leaders promote an organizational citizenship behaviour in which team-supporting behaviours augment followers’ identification with group values. The leader motivates them to transcend from a self-concept to be committed with cooperative team goals. Followers find themself intrinsically motivated to fulfil a collective vision without expecting immediate personal and tangible gains (Wang et al. 2005). Intellectual stimulation Transformational leaders stimulate employees’ effort to be innovative and creative by questioning assumption, reframing problems and approaching situations in different ways (Vaccaro et al. 2010, p. 2). On the other hand, as Podsakoff et al, (1990) exposed, transactional leadership consist in two dimensions; Contingent reward systems, which emphasizes the institution of clear and precise agreements, and management by exception that promotes highly leadership involvement and intervention in order to monitor and ectify any divergence form standards. Amibile (1998) claims that both dimensions inhibit creativity and discourage the initiative to address new ways to facing the work. Although, currently research fail to demonstrate a universal leadership phenomena (Walumbwa et al. 2005, p. 235), transformational leadership, by using intellectual stimulation behaviours, exhibit a cross-cultural benefit on commitment, innovation and job performance, all of them being characteristics of high-quality leader-follower (LMX) relationship. Avolio, Zhu, Koh, and Puja (2004), by gathering data from staff nurses in a large public hospital in Singapore, found a positive association between transformational leadership and organizational commitment. Likewise, Geyer and Steyrer (1998), as a result of a research in Australian banks, reported that transformational leadership had positive effects on employees’ level of effort and task performance. Individual consideration A transactional leader properly identifies employees’ needs in order to make the accurate motivational transactions; as a result, both parts expectations are met and job satisfactions is improved. However the exchange is usually limited to economic or tangible benefits and does not promote leader-follower relationships. In contrast, a transformational leader pays special attention to follower’s individual needs in a widely range, such achievement and growth, by acting as a coach or mentor. The leader demonstrate acceptance for individual differences, promote two-way exchange communication and sees the individual as a person rather than as just an employee (Bass, BM and Avolio, BJ (eds. 1994). In this extent, transformational leader promotes the creation of dyadic relationships with ‘in-group’ members which usually have a high-quality relationship with the leader and are expected to be more loyal to the leader, and perform in a greater extent as an exchange for intangible benefits like career development, participation in decision making, and access to information, between others (Vaccaro et al. 2010, p. 2). According to Deluga (1992), individualized consideration and charisma were two transformational leadership factors that predicted LMX and are the cause for subordinates to behave in ways (such as making extra efforts) that strengthen relational ties with the leader. Conclusion It seems clear that transformational and transactional leadership have positive relationship with organization outcomes; however this paper clearly stated the superiority of transformational leadership on building high-quality leader-follower (LMX) relationships based on the development of the Four I’s. First, by using a charismatic approach, transformational leaders create an idealize influence that augment follower’s emotions and commitment with the leader and organizational vision. Second, this paper claimed that by using inspirational motivating behaviour, leaders motivates followers to transcend from self-interest to commitment cooperative goals which led them to perform without expecting immediate personal benefits. In contrast, the transactional exchange-relationship with followers was meant to be limited to the interest on the reward promised as exchange for their task accomplishment in a very self-satisfying attitude. Given the importance of innovation in today’s organizations, intellectual stimulation was consider to be fundamentally related to followers’ commitment and organization increase on job performance and competitiveness. Unlike, by delimiting the outcome expected from followers and the reward system, transactional leadership was appeared to harm innovation in organization. Not different is the outcome of using managing by exception dimension. Finally, by having an individual consideration, transformational leadership are more likely to developed high-quality relationship members that are expected to be more loyal and perform in greater extent without expecting immediate tangible benefits. In contrast, commitment and higher achievement with a transactional leadership was limited to the exchange of direct economic and tangible benefits. Overall, due to the development of followers and their potential, transformational leadership is assumed to be more appropriate for many different types of companies and situations at any level across cultures. Reference list Amabile, TM 1998. ‘How to kill creativity’. Harvard Business Review, vol. 76, pp. 76–87. Avolio, BJ, Bass, BM, Jung, DI 1999, ‘Re-examining the components of transformational and transactional leadership using the multifactor leadership questionnaire’. Journal of Occupational and Organizational Psychology, vol. 72, no 4, pp. 441–462. Avolio, B J, Zhu, W, Koh, W, Puja, B 2004, ‘Transformational leadership and organizational commitment: Mediating role of psychological empowerment and moderating role of structural distance’. Journal of Organizational Behaviour, vol. 4, pp. 1–18. Bass, BM, Avolio, BJ 1990, ‘The Implications of transactional and transformational Leadership for individual, team and organizational development’. Research in Organizational Change and Development, vol. 4, pp. 231–72. Bass, B. M. Avolio, B. J. (eds. ) 1994, Improving organizational effectiveness through transformatio nal leadership, Sage Publications, London. Deluga, R J 1992, ‘The relationship of leader-member exchanges with laissez-faire, transactional, and transformational leadership’. Impact of leadership. pp. 237–247. Dorfman, PW, Howell, JP, Hibino, S, Lee, JK, Tate, U, Bautista, A 1997, ‘Leadership in Western and Asian countries: Communalities and differences in effective leadership processes across cultures’. Leadership Quarterly, vol. 8, no 3, pp. 233–274. Felfe, J, Tartler, K and Liepmann, D 2004, ‘Advanced Research in the Field of Transformational Leadership. Zeitschrift fur Personalforschung – German Journal of Human Resource Research. Special Research Forum, vol. 18, pp. 262–88. Geyer, A, Steyrer, J 1998, ‘Transformational leadership and objective performance in banks’. Applied Psychology: An International Review, vol. 7, no 3, pp. 397–420. House and Aditya; RC, Liden and Maslyn JM 1993, ‘Scale development for a multidimensional mesur of Leader-Member exchange’, Paper presented at annual meeting of the Academy of Management, Atlanta, Georgia. Paul, J, Costley, DL, Howell, JP, Dorfma, PW 2001, ‘The effects of cha rismatic leadership on followers’ self-concept accessibility’, Journal of Applied Social Psychology, vol. 31, no. 9, pp. 1821-1 844. Podsakoff, PM, MacKenzie, SB, Moorman, RH, Fetter, R 1990, ‘Transformational leader behaviours and their effects on followers’ trust in leader, satisfaction, and organizational citizenship behaviour. Leadership Quarterly, vol. 1, pp. 107–142. Rubin, RS, Munz, DC, Bommer, WH 2005, ‘Leading from within: the effects of emotion recognition and personality on transformational leadership behavior’. Academy of Management Journal, vol. 48, pp. 845–58. Towler, AJ 2003, ‘Effects of charismatic in? uence training on attitudes, behaviour, and performance’. Personnel Psychology, vol. 56, no 2, pp. 363–381. Vaccaro, IG, Jansen, JJ, Van Den Bosch, FA, Volberda, HW 2010, ‘Management innovation and leadership: The moderating role of organizational size’, Journal of Management Studies, pp. -23. Walumbwa, FO, Orwa, B, Wang, P, Lawler, JJ 2005, ‘Transformational Leadership, Organizational Commitment, and job satisfaction: A comparative study of Kenyan and U. S. financial firms’, Human resource development quarterly, vol. 16, no. 2, pp. 235-265. Wang, H, Law, K, Hackett, R, Wang, D, Chen ZX 2005, ‘Leader-member exchange as a mediator of the relationship between transformational leadership and followers’ performance and organizational citizenship behaviour’, Academy of Management Journal, vol. 8, no. 3, pp. 420-432. Weber, M 1947, ‘The theory of social and economic organizations’, translated by T. Parson, New York. Yammarino, FJ, Dubinsky, A J, Comer, LB, Jolson, MA 1997, ‘Women and transformational and contingent reward leadership: a multiple-levels-of-analysis perspective’. Academy of Management Journal, vol. 40, pp. 205–22. Zhang, X, Cao, Q, Tjosvold, D 2010, ‘Linking transformational leadership and team Performance: A con? ict management approach’, Journal of Management Studies, pp. 1-26.

Monday, March 2, 2020

Maya Angelou - Poet, Author, Actress, Playwright

Maya Angelou - Poet, Author, Actress, Playwright Maya Angelou was an African-American author, playwright, poet, dancer, actress, and singer.  Her illustrious 50-year career included publishing 36 books,  including volumes of poetry and three books of essays. Angelou is credited for producing  and acting in several plays, musicals,  movies, and TV shows.  Ã‚  She is best known, however,  for her first autobiography,  I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings (1969). The book depicts the  tragedies of Angelous traumatic childhood,  detailing a brutal rape at 7 1/2,  and an early  adulthood encumbered by teenage pregnancy. Dates: April 4, 1928 to May 28, 2014 Also Known As:   Marguerite Anne Johnson (born as), Ritie, Rita A Long Way From Home Maya Angelou was born Marguerite Anne Johnson on April 4, 1928, in St. Louis, Missouri,  to Bailey Johnson Sr., a porter and navy dietitian,  and Vivian Bibbie Baxter, a nurse. Angelou’s only sibling, one-year-older brother Bailey Jr. was unable as a child to pronounce Angelou’s first name, Marguerite, and thus nicknamed his sister Maya, derived from My Sister. The name-change proved useful later in Mayas  life. After her parents separated in 1931, Bailey Sr.  sent three-year-old Maya and Bailey Jr. to live with his mother, Annie Henderson, in segregated Stamps, Arkansas. Momma, as Maya and Bailey called her, was the only black female storeowner in rural Stamps and was highly respected. Despite the fact that severe poverty abounded, Momma prospered during the Great Depression and World War II by supplying basic staples. In addition to running the store, Momma took care of her paralyzed son, whom the children called â€Å"Uncle Willie.† Although smart, Maya was extremely insecure as a child, viewing herself as awkward, unwanted, and ugly because she was black. At times, Maya sought to hide her legs, greased them with Vaseline, and dusted them with red clay   deeming any color  was  better than black. Bailey, on the other hand, was charming, free-spirited, and extremely protective of his sister. Life in Stamps, Arkansas Momma put her grandchildren to work in the store, and Maya watched the exhausted cotton-pickers as they trudged to and from work. Momma was the chief stabilizer and moral guide in the childrens lives, giving them valuable advice in picking their battles with white people. Momma warned that the slightest impertinence could result in lynching. The daily indignities manifested through entrenched racism made life in Stamps  miserable for the displaced children. Their shared experience of loneliness and longing for their parents led to a strong dependence on each other. The childrens passion for reading provided a  refuge  from their harsh reality. Maya spent every Saturday in  Stamps library, eventually reading every book on its shelves. After four  years in Stamps, Maya and Bailey were surprised when their handsome father appeared driving a fancy car to take them back to St. Louis to live with their mother.   Maya watched curiously as  Bailey Sr.  interacted with  his mother  and brother, Uncle Willie making them feel inferior  with his boasting. Maya did not like it, especially when Bailey Jr. the splitting image of his father acted as if this man had never abandoned them. Meet Me in St. Louis Vivian was devastatingly beautiful and the children instantly fell in love with her, especially Bailey Jr.  Mother Dear, as the children called her,  was a force of nature  and  lived life to the fullest, expecting everyone else to do the same.  Although Vivian had a nursing degree, she made  a nice  living playing poker in gambling parlors. Landing in St. Louis during Prohibition, Maya and Bailey were introduced to underworld crime figures by their maternal grandmother (â€Å"Grandma Baxter†), who entertained them. She also had clout with the citys police. Vivians father and four brothers had city jobs,  rare for black men, and had a reputation for being mean. But they treated the children well and Maya was awed by them, finally feeling a sense of familial belonging. Maya and Bailey stayed with Vivian and her  older boyfriend, Mr. Freeman. Vivian was strong,  vibrant, and independent like Momma, treating her children well. However,  she was dispassionate and Maya could not establish a close relationship. Innocence Lost Maya craved her mothers affection so much that she began confiding in Vivians insecure  boyfriend. Mayas 7 1/2-year-old innocence was shattered when Freeman molested her on two occasions, then raped her- threatening to kill Bailey if she told. Although he was found guilty at a hearing and sentenced to one year in jail, Freeman was temporarily released. Three weeks later, Maya overheard police telling Grandma Baxter that Freeman had been found beaten to death, presumably by her uncles. The family never mentioned the incident. Thinking she was  responsible for Freemans death by testifying, confused Maya resolved to protect others by not speaking. She became mute for five years, refusing to speak to anyone except her brother. After a while, Vivian was unable to deal with Mayas emotional state. She sent the children back to live with Momma in Stamps, much to Baileys discontent. The emotional consequences caused by the rape followed Maya throughout her lifetime. Back  to Stamps and a Mentor Momma wasted no time getting Maya help by introducing her to Bertha Flowers, a beautiful,  refined, and educated black woman.  The great teacher exposed Maya to classic authors, such as Shakespeare, Charles Dickens, and James Weldon Johnson, as well as black female authors. Flowers had Maya memorize certain works by the authors to recite aloud- showing her that words have the power to create, not destroy.   Through Mrs. Flowers, Maya realized the power, eloquence, and beauty of the spoken word. The ritual  awakened Mayas passion for poetry,  built confidence, and slowly goaded  her out of silence. Once reading books as a refuge from reality,  she now read books to understand it. To Maya, Bertha Flowers was the ultimate role model- someone she could aspire to become. Maya was a great student and graduated with honors in 1940 from Lafayette County Training School. An eighth-grade graduation was a big  occasion in Stamps, but the white speaker  insinuated that  the black graduates could only succeed in sports or servitude, not academics. Maya  was inspired, however, when the class valedictorian led the graduates in Lift Evry Voice and Sing,  listening for the first time to the songs words. Its Better in  California Stamps, Arkansas was a town entrenched in severe racism. For instance, one day, when Maya had a severe toothache, Momma took her to the only  dentist in town, who was white,  and  to whom she had loaned money during the Great Depression. But the dentist refused to treat Maya,  proclaiming that he would rather stick his hand in a dogs mouth than in black Mayas. Momma took Maya outside and stamped back into the  mans office. Momma returned with $10 she said the dentist owed her in interest on his loan and took Maya 25 miles to see a black dentist. After Bailey came home terribly shaken one day,  having been forced by a white man to help load a black mans  dead, rotting body onto a wagon, Momma  prepared to get her grandchildren  away from further dangers. Never having traveled more than 50 miles from her birthplace, Momma left Willie and her store to take Maya and Bailey to their mother in Oakland, California. Momma stayed six months to get the children settled before returning to Stamps. Genuinely glad to have her children back, Vivian  threw  Maya and Bailey a welcoming  party at midnight.  The children discovered their mother was popular and fun-loving, with many male suitors. But Vivian  chose to marry  Daddy Clidell, a  successful businessman who moved the family to San Francisco. Upon Mayas entrance into Mission High School, she  was  advanced a grade and later transferred to a school where she  was one of only three blacks. Maya liked one teacher, Miss Kirwin, who treated everyone  equally. At 14, Maya received a full college scholarship to the California Labor School  to study drama and  dance. Growing Pains Daddy Clidell was the owner of several apartment buildings and pool halls, and Maya was enthralled  by his quiet dignity. He was the only true father figure she ever knew, making Maya feel like his cherished daughter. But when  Bailey Sr.  invited her to stay with him and his much younger girlfriend Dolores for the summer, Maya accepted. When she arrived, Maya was shocked to discover they lived in a low-class trailer  home. From the outset, the two women didnt get along. When Bailey Sr. took Maya to Mexico on a shopping trip, it ended disastrously with 15-year-old Maya  driving her inebriated father back to the Mexican border. Upon their return, jealous Dolores confronted Maya, blaming her for coming between them. Maya slapped Dolores for calling  Vivian a whore; Dolores then stabbed Maya in the hand and stomach with scissors. Maya ran from the house bleeding. Knowing she couldnt hide her wounds from Vivian, Maya did not return to San Francisco.  She was also afraid that Vivian and her family would cause trouble for Bailey Sr., remembering what happened to Mr. Freeman. Bailey Sr. took Maya to get her wounds wrapped at a friends house. Determined never to  be victimized again, Maya fled the home of her fathers friend and spent the night in a  junkyard. The next morning, she  found  there were several runaways  living there.  During  her month-long stay with the runaways, Maya learned to not only dance and cuss  but to also appreciate diversity,  which influenced the rest of her life.  At summers end, Maya decided to return to her mother, but the experience left  her feeling  empowered. Movin On Up Maya had matured from a timid girl into a  strong young woman. Her brother Bailey, on the other hand, was changing. He had become obsessed  with winning his mothers affection, even beginning to  emulate the lifestyles of the men  Vivian once kept company with. When Bailey brought a white prostitute home, Vivian kicked him out. Hurt and disillusioned, Bailey eventually left town  to take a job with the railroad. When school started in the fall, Maya  convinced Vivian  to let her  take a semester off to work. Missing Bailey terribly,  she  sought a distraction and  applied for a job as a streetcar conductor,  despite racist hiring policies.  Maya persisted for weeks, eventually becoming  San Franciscos first black streetcar operator. Upon returning to school, Maya began to mentally exaggerate her masculine features and became worried that she might be a lesbian.   Maya decided to get a boyfriend to convince herself otherwise. But all of  Mayas male friends  wanted slim, light-skinned, straight-haired girls, and she possessed none of these qualities.  Maya then  propositioned a handsome neighbor boy, but the unsatisfying encounter didnt allay her anxieties. Three weeks later, however, Maya discovered she was pregnant. After calling Bailey, Maya decided to keep her pregnancy a secret. Afraid that Vivian would make her quit school, Maya threw herself into her studies, and after graduating from the Mission High School in 1945  Ã¢â‚¬â€¹confessed her eighth-month pregnancy. Claude Bailey Johnson, who later changed his name to Guy,  was born shortly after 17-year-old Mayas graduation. A New Name, New Life Maya adored her son and, for the very first time, felt needed.  Her life became more colorful as  she worked to  provide for  him by singing and  dancing in nightclubs, cooking, being a cocktail waitress,  a prostitute, and  a brothel madam. In 1949, Maya married  Anastasios Angelopulos, a Greek-American sailor. But the interracial marriage in 1950s America was doomed from the start, ending in 1952. In 1951, Maya studied modern dance under greats  Alvin Ailey and Martha Graham, even  teaming with Ailey to perform at local  functions  as Al and Rita. Working as a professional calypso dancer  at the Purple Onion in San Francisco, Maya was still called Marguerite Johnson. But that soon changed when, at the insistence of her managers, Maya combined her former husbands surname and Baileys nickname of Maya,  to create  the distinctive name,  Maya Angelou. When Angelou’s beloved Momma passed away, Angelou  was sent into a tailspin. Distraught,  but vowing to live fully,  Angelou turned down a contract for a Broadway play, left her son with Vivian, and  embarked on a 22-nation  tour with the opera Porgy and Bess (1954-1955). But Angelou continued to hone her writing skills while traveling, as she found  solace in creating poetry. In 1957, Angelou  recorded her first album, Calypso Heat Wave. Angelou had been dancing, singing, and acting  throughout San Francisco, but then moved to New York and joined the Harlem Writers Guild in the late 1950s. While there, she befriended literary great James Baldwin,  who encouraged  Angelou to  focus directly on a writing career. Triumph and Tragedy In 1960, after hearing civil rights leader Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. speak,  Angelou wrote along  with Godfrey Cambridge,  Cabaret for Freedom,  to benefit Kings Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC). Angelou was a great asset as a fundraiser and organizer;   she was then appointed SCLCs Northern Coordinator by Dr. King. Also in 1960,  Angelou took a common-law husband, Vusumzi Make, a South African anti-apartheid leader from Johannesburg.  Maya,  her 15-year-old son Guy, and new husband moved to Cairo, Egypt, where Angelou became an editor for The Arab Observer. Angelou continued taking teaching and writing jobs as she and  Guy adjusted. But as her relationship  with Make came to an end in 1963,  Angelou left Egypt with her son for Ghana. There, she became an administrator at the University of Ghanas School of Music and Drama, an editor for The African Review, and a feature writer for  The Ghanaian Times. As a result of her travels,  Angelou was  fluent in French, Italian, Spanish, Arabic, Serbo-Croatian, and Fanti (a West African language). While living in Africa,  Angelou  established a great friendship with Malcolm X. Upon returning to the States in 1964 to help him build the newly  formed Organization of African American Unity, Malcolm X was assassinated soon thereafter. Devastated,  Angelou went to live with her brother in Hawaii but returned to Los Angeles during the summer of the 1965 race riots.  Angelou wrote and acted in plays until  she returned to New York in 1967. Hard Trials, Great Achievement In 1968, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. asked Angelou to organize a march, but the plans were interrupted when King was assassinated on April 4, 1968 –  on Angelous 40th birthday. Reeling and vowing never to celebrate the date again, Angelou was encouraged by James Baldwin to overcome her grief by writing.   Doing what she did best,  Angelou wrote, produced, and narrated Blacks, Blues, Black!,  a ten-part documentary series about the link between the blues music genre and black heritage.  Also in 1968,  attending a dinner party with Baldwin, Angelou was challenged to write an autobiography by Random House editor Robert Loomis.  I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings, Angelous first autobiography,  which was published in 1969, became an immediate bestseller and brought Angelou worldwide acclaim. In 1973, Angelou wed the Welsh writer and cartoonist Paul du Feu. Though Angelou never spoke openly about her marriages, it was  deemed by  those closest  to be her longest and happiest union. However, it ended in amicable divorce in 1980. Awards and Honors Angelou was nominated for an Emmy Award in 1977 for her role as Kunta Kintes grandmother in Alex Haleys television miniseries, Roots. In 1982, Angelou began teaching at Wake Forest University in Winston-Salem, North Carolina,  where she held the first lifetime Reynolds Professorship of American Studies. Past presidents Gerald Ford, Jimmy Carter, and Bill Clinton requested Angelou to serve on various boards. In 1993, Angelou was asked to write and recite a poem (On the Pulse of the Morning) for Clintons inauguration, winning a Grammy award and  being the second individual after Robert Frost (1961) so honored. Angelous numerous awards include  the Presidential Medal of Arts  (2000),  the Lincoln Medal (2008), the Presidential Medal of Freedom by President Barack Obama (2011), the  Literarian Award from the National Book Foundation (2013), and the Mailer Prize for Lifetime Achievement (2013). Though her educational pursuits were limited to high school, Angelou received 50 honorary doctorates. A Phenomenal Woman Maya Angelou  was highly  respected by millions as  an  astounding  author,  poet,  actor, lecturer, and activist.  Starting  in the  1990s and continuing to shortly before her death,  Angelou made  at least 80 appearances annually on the lecture circuit.   Her comprehensive body of published works include  36 books, seven of which are autobiographies, numerous collections of poetry, a book of essays, four plays, a screenplay- oh,  and a cookbook. Angelou once had three  books- I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings, The Heart of a Woman, and Even the Stars Looked Lonesome- on New York Times bestseller list for six consecutive weeks, simultaneously. Whether through a book, a play, poem, or lecture, Angelou inspired millions,  especially women, to  use the negative experiences they survived  as a  catapult to impossible achievements. On the morning of May 28, 2014, frail and suffering from a heart-related  extended  illness, 86-year-old Maya Angelou was  found unconscious  by her caretaker.  Accustomed to  doing things her way, Angelou had instructed her staff to not resuscitate her in such a condition.   The memorial ceremony in  Maya Angelous honor, hosted by Wake Forest University, included many luminaries. Media mogul Oprah Winfrey, Angelous long-time friend and protege,  planned and  directed the heartfelt tribute. The town of Stamps renamed its only park  in Angelous honor in June 2014.