Maya Angelou Celebrates Her 82nd Birthday

[Photos via Facebook]

Poet and Author Maya Angelou celebrated her 82nd birthday with colleagues and celebrity friends and fans. Naomi Judd, Martina McBride, and Common, among others, honored Angelou at the garden party thrown in the backyard of her North Carolina home. DC's Leslie Sanchez was there to cover..."I have an attitude of gratitude. Nobody promised me this day," said Angelou when asked how she keeps writing. The celebration gathered many who have been inspired by the legendary writer and guests were encouraged to share Angelou's affects on their lives. Recording artist and actor Common improvised a song for the author while Martina McBride and Naomi Judd sang "Happy Birthday to You" to Angelou.

Lee Daniels, Oscar-nominated director of the film "Precious: Based on the Novel 'Push' by Lee Sapphire," also attended the celebration honoring Angelou. In an interview with the Associated Press he said, "she inspires me to tell the truth. Her voice can't be any more powerful. And she inspires me to do better work, to dig deeper in my soul and do better work."

Along with the words from guests, Angelou spoke about political disunity and her hopes for all parties in the United States working together for the greater good of the country. "We are more alike than we are unalike," said Angelou during an interview with CNN about her thoughts on political divisiveness.

Maya Angelou Common

Martina McBride and Naomi Judd

[Photos via Facebook]