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On December 8, 2014, Louis Gossett, Jr. sat down for a conversation about Dr. Maya Angelou’s role as a "matriarch" in the lineage of Black storytellers. Interview conducted by directors Rita Coburn and Bob Hercules for "Maya Angelou: And Still I Rise" (2017).

Chapters:

00:00 - The Black artist scene in 1960s New York
01:06 - Exploring the absurdity of racism through the subversion of Jean Genet’s “The Blacks”
03:47 - “The Blacks” as a catalyst for incorporating Black intellectualism into the American vanguard
05:57 - Angelou taking on a teacher’s role in cultivating Gossett’s sense of racial awareness
07:19 - The development of “Roots” and coming into the fold of its iconic cast
08:51 - The legacy of “Roots” in initiating a global conversation around the story of slavery
12:36 - On how Angelou’s role in “Roots” cemented her position as the matriarch of Black American art
13:51 - Memories of Angelou as a grandmotherly figure in Gossett’s life
15:15 - On how her indelible ability to communicate African American roots persisted until her death
16:04 - Gossett explores his memories of Angelou’s passing and their communication during her final days
17:15 - The legacy of Angelou’s wisdom as continuation of oral traditions from Africa

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Now in its 37th season on PBS, American Masters illuminates the lives and creative journeys of those who have left an indelible impression on our cultural landscape—through compelling, unvarnished stories. Setting the standard for documentary film profiles, the series has earned widespread critical acclaim: 28 Emmy Awards—including 10 for Outstanding Non-Fiction Series and five for Outstanding Non-Fiction Special—two News & Documentary Emmys, 14 Peabodys, three Grammys, two Producers Guild Awards, an Oscar, and many other honors. To further explore the lives and works of more than 250 masters past and present, the American Masters website offers full episodes, film outtakes, filmmaker interviews, the podcast “American Masters: Creative Spark,” educational resources, digital original series and more. The series is a production of The WNET Group.