Outside the San Francisco Main Library on Thursday, September 19, 2024, Mayor London Breed—along with other city officials, art community representatives, and family members of Dr. Maya Angelou (1928–2014)—gathered for the unveiling of the Portrait of a Phenomenal Woman monument commemorating Dr. Angelou. Standing 8-feet tall and 6-feet wide, and weighing approximately 6,900 pounds, the artwork sits atop a basalt stone base.
The portrait was created by artist Lava Thomas based on a still image taken from the video recording of a 1973 interview of Dr. Angelou by journalist Bill Moyers. (The interview can be viewed at YouTube: https://bit.ly/3N6FImt)
The monument is the first in San Francisco’s Civic Art Collection commemorating a Black woman, and includes the inscription of an inspiring quote from Dr. Angelou addressing the importance of connecting with others through shared experience.
The San Francisco Public Library has issued a special edition library card featuring the portrait of Dr. Angelou drawn by Thomas for the monument.
During World War II, Angelou, a teenager at the time, briefly worked as a streetcar conductor in San Francisco, collecting fares and ensuring passenger safety. She later had other ties to the city, including befriending former San Francisco Gay Men’s Chorus artistic director Dr. Tim Seelig. To read more about her work as a streetcar conductor, go to
https://bit.ly/4eHwngG
Published on October 3, 2024
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