Renowned poet and author Maya Angelou dies at 86

One of America's most famous and inspiring poets and writers, Maya Angelou, has died. She died last night with her family by her side in a Winston-Salem, North Carolina hospital while recovering from an illness.

The famed author was to be honored this Friday with the Beacon of Life Award at Major League Baseball's Civil Rights Game when she fell ill and had to cancel.

Angelou has received more than 30 honorary degrees from universities around the world. She published 7 autobiographies, 3 books of essays, and several books of poetry, and is credited with a list of plays, movies, and television shows spanning more than 50 years.

"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." - Maya Angelou famously wrote

May her soul rest in peace. Amen.