Originally published in Africa.Redux.

Vegetarians sometimes challenge meat-eaters to open their eyes and take a good look at the process that reduces animals to food. But few human carnivores, despite the tender spots in their heart that pets often fill, read about, view videos of, or even contemplate, factory farming. Denial and unwillingness to examine not only the harm we cause others, including animals, but the pain they experience, seem to come naturally to us.

Maya Angelou, poet laureate and author of notable works including And Still I Rise and I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings passed away on May 28th, aged 86. The following is a roundup of pieces examining her life and lesser known aspects of her career.

The Root details Angelou's time spent in Egypt in the early 1960s as the only woman editor of a Cairo newspaper.