Michelle Obama delivers moving speech at Maya Angelou's memorial service
Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images
First Lady Michelle Obama spoke at a private memorial service for Maya Angelou — "one of the greatest spirits our world has ever known" — today.
Former President Bill Clinton, along with Oprah Winfrey, also spoke at the service. Angelou died on May 28, after an incredible life filled with groundbreaking writing, along with trailblazing civil rights and arts efforts.
"When I think about Maya Angelou, I think about the affirming power of her words," Obama said. "Her words sustained me on every step of my journey … Words so powerful that they carried a little black girl from the South Side of Chicago all the way to the White House."
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Watch the full speech, below. --Sarah Eberspacher
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Sarah Eberspacher is an associate editor at TheWeek.com. She has previously worked as a sports reporter at The Livingston County Daily Press & Argus and The Arizona Republic. She graduated from Northwestern University's Medill School of Journalism.
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