A 30-Year-Old Clip Of Maya Angelou Correcting A Teen Has New School Twitter Up In Arms

[Jae]

The young girls parents had already failed her.

Never in my life have referred to any elder by their first name. That's some shit you're supposed to learn early. Basic respect for your elders. Manners used to matter.

These youngins all in their feelings about this shit have also been failed by their parents.

baicaslly...

 

[TimRock]

Fuck Twitter, most of the people on there don't have shit going on in their lives and just go around looking for something to get involved in. Stop taking the focus off of more important shit going on. I'm surprised a new "challenge" hasn't come up instead of this.

 

[Autobot8655]

Im indifferent.

The question I have is would she have told a pink girl the same age the same thing?

Seems like she was putting the young sista in check because she was a "sista"...

but thats just me......

 

[Gazoo]

I'm an old ass man and I still put handles on peoples names. ESPECIALLY if they're older or not a friend. Can't begin to tell you how many young people just address me by my first name. I really hate it in a professional setting, such a a hotel desk clerk or similar.

 

[Camille]

Maya Angelou had more defenders on twitter than detractors. At least on my timeline. This is another version of the Miss Nancy discussion all over again.

 

[4 Dimensional]

Some people are saying it's a southern thing that is left over from slavery, others are want to argue about so-called misplaced honorifics in the Black community and others state that quick but loving correction is what older Black women are known for. I honestly never thought this would be an issue in the Black community.

Blacks have evolved into something else. The traditional way of thinking even when it comes to addressing someone is different.

But what I noticed is these so called black twitter enraged people only have the ability to exist this way online. When it comes to standing their own ground without back up, you begin to see how vulnerable they are.

 

[4 Dimensional]

Maya Angelou had more defenders on twitter than detractors. At least on my timeline. This is another version of the Miss Nancy discussion all over again.

Curious to know, is the ones doing the defending of a old age demographic?

 

[trstar]

Im indifferent.

The question I have is would she have told a pink girl the same age the same thing?

Seems like she was putting the young sista in check because she was a "sista"...

but thats just me......

Ms. Maya assumed the young girl knew better, or should have known better, if not, her parents should have taught her better.

 

[TREES]

You know, as I get older I find myself in "curb your enthusiasm" situations.
Like when I'm at the drive through and the young white kid who is friendly, addresses me as "man"or "bro" when I know damm well if i was an older white man he might have called me "sir".
And then part of me is like....is it the "cool black guy" factor? Hmmm.......
Then sometimes I'll get a rude ass black girl who doesn't say shit lol
I will say one thing......EVERYTIME I've been to a Chick-Fil-a no matter who was serving me and no matter how i was dressed, they have ALWAYS called me sir.....go figure lol.

 

[praetor]

The correction was fine, the tone was a little much given that the girl was nervous.

 

[4 Dimensional]

Based on comments in this thread, you can see how certain realities have been broken even on a basic level of respect and how it is understood. Another shinning example on how society (especially the black community) is an ever evolving thing.

 

[Autobot8655]

Ms. Maya assumed the young girl knew better, or should have known better, if not, her parents should have taught her better.

But would she assume the same from a pink girl?



I see the type of vibe from her that she puts her own in check while not doing the same to others. If she is consistent...then cool. But I can damn near guarantee that she would not have done the same to a pink girl the same age.

She may have corrected a young pink chick a lot friendlier...if that.

 

[shaddyvillethug]

I respect my elders, however some of them doesn’t deserve it one bit.

But Maya was not as liked as I thought she was. She was a professor at Wake Forest University at the time I was attending Winston Salem State.

She talk that black empowerment shit, but ask me how many times she came to Winston Salem State while I was there to give a speech or presentation? NONE! And you know why? Because her asking price was more than the school could afford, yet she only taught 10 minutes away from the school. She knew WSSU was a HBCU.

I’ve had several professors express their disdain for her. I thought that was interesting considering how much she was respected in the Black Community.

That was my first reality check on black scholars not like other black scholars because they thought they were phony.

Black people don’t do shit for free

 

[Autobot8655]

Based on comments in this thread, you can see how certain realities have been broken even on a basic level of respect and how it is understood. Another shinning example on how society (especially the black community) is an ever evolving thing.

we should be evolving......you say it like its a bad thing

The day that we drop religion...(it's gonna happen)

I will be like:

 

[TimRock]

Im indifferent.

The question I have is would she have told a pink girl the same age the same thing?

Seems like she was putting the young sista in check because she was a "sista"...

but thats just me......

i knew someone was gonna say this. it did not seem like she only responded like that because of the girls race. how did you come to that conclusion.

 

[4 Dimensional]

we should be evolving......you say it like its a bad thing

The day that we drop religion...(it's gonna happen)

I will be like:

Did I say it like it was a bad thing or did you take it that way?

And we are never dropping religion. Never going to happen. Lol.

 

[DiGeneral]

People on twitter must be living real good lives for this to be considered a problem....she checked the young lady for the disrespect of using the first name then apologized for going a little overboard with the tone...what more do you fucking want?

A it dat.
Some a dem eediot pon Twitter lucky sey dem never go a school a Jamaica. Dem would a bawl blood...

 

[Autobot8655]

i knew someone was gonna say this. it did not seem like she only responded like that because of the girls race. how did you come to that conclusion.

Because she was so rude...on a level that was not called for.

Are there any clips of her frontin-off on pinks (old or young) that like that?

Those types in our community only seem to front on black youngsters...like I said...that is what I have seen.

 

[shaddyvillethug]

Maya Angelou never did shit for me

 

[TimRock]

Because she was so rude...on a level that was not called for.

Are there any clips of her frontin-off on pinks (old or young) that like that?

Those types in our community only seem to front on black youngsters...like I said...that is what I have seen.

Are there any clips of pinks disrespecting her?

 

[Gully]

I respect my elders, however some of them doesn’t deserve it one bit.

But Maya was not as liked as I thought she was. She was a professor at Wake Forest University at the time I was attending Winston Salem State.

She talk that black empowerment shit, but ask me how many times she came to Winston Salem State while I was there to give a speech or presentation? NONE! And you know why? Because her asking price was more than the school could afford, yet she only taught 10 minutes away from the school. She knew WSSU was a HBCU.

I’ve had several professors express their disdain for her. I thought that was interesting considering how much she was respected in the Black Community.

That was my first reality check on black scholars not like other black scholars because they thought they were phony.

I heard similar stories from some well respected educators.

 

[doe moe]

Brother's that date single moms, how you feel when her kids call you by your first name?

I feel weird as fuck when an 8 year old little girl calls me Doe Moe with no Mr. on it.

 

[playahaitian]

I respect my elders, however some of them doesn’t deserve it one bit.

But Maya was not as liked as I thought she was. She was a professor at Wake Forest University at the time I was attending Winston Salem State.

She talk that black empowerment shit, but ask me how many times she came to Winston Salem State while I was there to give a speech or presentation? NONE! And you know why? Because her asking price was more than the school could afford, yet she only taught 10 minutes away from the school. She knew WSSU was a HBCU.

I’ve had several professors express their disdain for her. I thought that was interesting considering how much she was respected in the Black Community.

That was my first reality check on black scholars not like other black scholars because they thought they were phony.

This is probably a discussion for another thread.

But i wonder if it is more difficult to be a "black scholar"?

Especially from jim crow and civil rights time

The expectation the pressure

You had to be damn near perfect

Her seemingly aloof behavior had to her armour against hate at every turn

In the classroom on campus in public in private

And then even after you were "certified" you still had to constantly PROVE yourself to white folk and black folk

Can you imagine how many people tried to talk DOWN to "maya"

Imagine a world where someone using your first name was a deliberate underhanded slight?

That everyone tried to claim was just you bring sensitive?

I'm not defending her or them...

But i gotta be honest that was probably hellish.

I could see her thinking she EARNED her rate.

And she right but wrong.

Ego is complicated as hell.

If we dont help US first... FOREVER

We lost.

 

[moblack]

Are there any clips of pinks disrespecting her?

Is that really a fucking question in America?

 

[TimRock]

Brother's that date single moms, how you feel when her kids call you by your first name?

I feel weird as fuck when an 8 year old little girl calls me Doe Moe with no Mr. on it.

I don't care. Just because they don't say Mr. Doesn't mean they don't respect you. Someone can call you Mr. And then beat the hell out of you.

 

[TimRock]

Is that really a fucking question in America?

Is there? To her face?

 

[playahaitian]

If those men were alive today they'd be attacked by Black Twitter and entangled in various e-beefs with Tariq Nasheed and the Black Authority....no one is safe

Nothing and i mean nothing angers me more than racist white folk and fake white liberals

Suddenly claiming love and admiration for dr. King and Ali

Makes my blood boil

They acting like jesse owens, carlos & smith etc were treated like American heroes

Then saying Kap aint really do sh*t in the same breath.

Go back and study how they treated not only THOSE Black men...

But black women and children.

 

[playahaitian]

Blacks have evolved into something else. The traditional way of thinking even when it comes to addressing someone is different.

But what I noticed is these so called black twitter enraged people only have the ability to exist this way online. When it comes to standing their own ground without back up, you begin to see how vulnerable they are.

Twitter muscles.

Interesting phenomenon

You would think it would translate to group boycotts, group voting, buying black etc...

It doesn't.

I truly think in the very near future we will see social media as a whole, was a squandered opportunity

And has become or already is a corporate data mining construct used as distraction and mass manipulation.

 

[fwillia]

Yeah i agree

But apparently there is more to clip

You would think by now we would know that is ALWAYS the case.

Yes She was extra strong...

But honestly back then if i had did that to any woman that age in my family?

I'd be unconscious.

Yea I probably would’ve gotten popped in the mouth back in the day, but I know for a fact a lot of the elders I knew, be it from church or my family-many of whom have since passed on- had huge egos. I obviously can’t speak for your personal experience.

I think a lot of that respectability bullshit they promoted was ego-based.

 

[4 Dimensional]

This is probably a discussion for another thread.

But i wonder if it is more difficult to be a "black scholar"?

Especially from jim crow and civil rights time

The expectation the pressure

You had to be damn near perfect

Her seemingly aloof behavior had to her armour against hate at every turn

In the classroom on campus in public in private

And then even after you were "certified" you still had to constantly PROVE yourself to white folk and black folk

Can you imagine how many people tried to talk DOWN to "maya"

Imagine a world where someone using your first name was a deliberate underhanded slight?

That everyone tried to claim was just you bring sensitive?

I'm not defending her or them...

But i gotta be honest that was probably hellish.

I could see her thinking she EARNED her rate.

And she right but wrong.

Ego is complicated as hell.

If we dont help US first... FOREVER

We lost.

There is some added expectations to be a scholar. And I’m sure that accomplishes add to the ego.

But as I’ve learned respect is a earned thing.

I don’t expect to be called doctor. And honestly as long as a person don’t called me outside my name, I’m pretty cool about how I’m addressed.

 

[playahaitian]

Yea I probably would’ve gotten popped in the mouth back in the day, but I know for a fact a lot of the elders I knew, be it from church or my family-many of whom have since passed on- had huge egos. I obviously can’t speak for your personal experience.

I think a lot of that respectability bullshit they promoted was ego-based.

Probably right

But it is so damn complicated

White folk trampled us so much.

Treated us sub human.

So they NEEDED that respect

Imagine the same white baby you nursed raised fed washed?

Call you mama or ms so and so.

And your own kids don't?

Then that same white boy could hit you and rape you with no repercussions?

Psychologically... even if you ain't walk with dr king?

To grow up in that era was hellish.

And NONE of these twitter fools could last a day.

So i understand and addressing a black elder respectfully is a small f*cking sacrifice.

Sidebar...

We call sports team owners and commissioners sir like they the f*cking president

And had the same reporters not calling Obama Mr. President.

 

[ATLKingpin]

Man I need the whole clip to be sure, but I’m calling smart move to Mrs. Angelou. She was married to a CAC and the question of “interracial relations” seemed to be problematic for her....I think she just found an out so that she could avoid being misquoted and then turned around and cleaned it up with the kid later

 

[playahaitian]

There is some added expectations to be a scholar. And I’m sure that accomplishes add to the ego.

But as I’ve learned respect is a earned thing.

I don’t expect to be called doctor. And honestly as long as a person don’t called me outside my name, I’m pretty cool about how I’m addressed.

Funny you mention that.

With my daughter's condition im around so mant doctors now

And i was raised to respect that title.

But now we are so close they keep INSISTING i don't call them that.

I just can't just a respect thing a professional thing and i need to remind them, this your JOB, CALLING...

Handle that

And I'll tell you this, the black principal of my nephew school became a doctor and those white folks refused to address her as such

Refused

So my sis made it a point to address her as such ALL THE TIME.

And these fake white liberals would make every excuse in the book

"Oh i keep forgetting!"

Then when they got called out by the district office

Crickets

Sidebar..

When we finally meet up fam... you a damn doctor like it or not.

 

[Texas Catdaddy]

Yeah i agree

But apparently there is more to clip

You would think by now we would know that is ALWAYS the case.

Yes She was extra strong...

But honestly back then if i had did that to any woman that age in my family?

I'd be unconscious.

One way or another, you was gon know .....

 

[Texas Catdaddy]

Brother's that date single moms, how you feel when her kids call you by your first name?

I feel weird as fuck when an 8 year old little girl calls me Doe Moe with no Mr. on it.