The United States (U.S.) Consulate General in Chennai on Friday launched two of American poet and civil rights activist Maya Angelou’s literary works in Tamil.
The consulate had coordinated with Kalachuvadu Publications for the event held at the American Center auditorium. Ms. Angelou’s 1969 landmark memoir I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings, which was the first non-fiction bestseller by an African-American woman was translated by Bernard Chandra and her AndStill I Rise, a collection of 32 poems, was translated by R. Sivakumar.
About the launch of the books, Anne Seshadri, Deputy Director, U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of South and Central Asia Office of Press and Public Diplomacy, said though Ms. Angelou’s works had been translated into multiple languages, there were no authorised translations of her works in Tamil. “We hope her message of tolerance, justice, and equality resonates with the Tamil-speaking audiences in south India and around the world,” she said.
Ms. Angelou has published seven autobiographies, three books of essays, several poetry books, and is credited with many plays, movies, and television productions. In 2010, she received the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the U.S.’s highest civilian honour, a press release said.
Former West Bengal Governor Gopalkrishna Gandhi and writer-activist Salma participated. U.S. Embassy New Delhi Minister-Counselor for Public Diplomacy Gloria Berbena, U.S. Consulate General Chennai’s Public Engagement Officer Scott Hartmann, U.S. Consulate General Chennai’s spokesperson Samantha Jackson, and publisher from Kalachuvadu Publications Kannan Sundaram also attended the function. The translated books will be available for patrons to borrow from the Chennai’s American Center.
