Guy Johnson: Facts About Maya Angelou’s son

Guy Johnson is the only child of the late, great Maya Angelou. Guy Johnson’s mother Angelou was an American poet, memoirist, and civil rights activist. She published seven autobiographies, three books of essays, and several books of poetry, and is credited with a list of plays, movies, and television shows spanning over 50 years.

Guy Johnson: Bio Summary

Guy Johnson is the son of Maya Angelou. He was born on September 8, 1945, in the United States of America. Johnson was born when Angelou was a teenager. Three weeks after completing school, at the age of seventeen, she gave birth to her son, Clyde Johnson(who later changed his name to Guy Johnson). He was in his late twenties when he was involved in a car accident that damaged his spinal cord and temporarily paralyzed him.

Who is Guy Johnson’s father?

Who is Maya Angelou’s son Guy John’s father? Maya Angelou has not made any mention of the father of his only son Guy. As stated earlier, she had his when she was only a teenager. Maya was married at least twice, but never clarified the number of times she had been married, “for fear of sounding frivolous”; according to her autobiographies and to Gillespie, she married Tosh Angelos in 1951 and Paul du Feu in 1974, and began her relationship with Vusumzi Make in 1961, but never formally married him.

“Guy Johnson is a wonder,” his mother Angelou is quoted as saying of her son in an interview with the Associated Press. “He’s been physically challenged. He was paralyzed from his neck down at one point. The doctors had told me, ‘Your son, he will never move again, he will never walk again.’ I said, ‘My son will walk out of this hospital.’” And Guy Johnson eventually would.

Maya’s relationship with Make ended in 1962, and she and her son, Guy Johnson relocated to Accra, Ghana, so he could attend college, but he was seriously injured in an automobile accident. Angelou remained in Accra for his recovery and stayed until 1965. She worked as an administrator at the University of Ghana and was involved in the African-American expat community. She worked as a feature editor for The African Review, as a freelance writer for the Ghanaian Times, as a writer and broadcaster for Radio Ghana, and as a performer at Ghana’s National Theatre.

The mother-son duo had a very close relationship. Maya once said on OWN’s Super Soul Sunday that “My greatest blessing has been the birth of my son.”.

Johnson just like his famous mother was also an author, writing a number of books including Standing at the Scratch Line. When he was asked at one time what it was like growing up in the “shadow” of his beloved parent, he replied, “I didn’t. I grew up in her light. Sometimes I wasn’t worthy of it, but it has always been an experience that expanded me.”

Guy sadly passed away on February 16, 2022, in Oakland, California, United States. He died at the age of 77.

What was the Cause of Maya Angelou’s son Guy Jonhson’s death?

The news of Guy’s death was shared from the official Facebook of the mother, the iconic poet, with it being revealed that he passed away on Wednesday, Feb. 16th.

“Mr. Guy Johnson passed away peacefully at his home this morning in Oakland, California,” the statement read. “Arrangements will be made and announced in the coming days.” “We ask that you respect the family’s privacy during this difficult time,” the message reads. “Thank you for your prayers and words of comfort and strength.”

Guy Johnson’s mother, Angelou also died eight years ago before her son’s death on the morning of May 28, 2014, at the age of 86. She was found by her nurse. Although Angelou had reportedly been in poor health and had canceled recent scheduled appearances, she was working on another book, an autobiography about her experiences with national and world leaders. 

During her memorial service at Wake Forest University, her son Guy Johnson stated that despite being in constant pain due to her dancing career and respiratory failure, she wrote four books during the last ten years of her life. He said, “She left this mortal plane with no loss of acuity and no loss in comprehension.”

Before his death, Johnson worked with Wake Forest University to establish a new artist-in-residence program to honor Angelou.

“We are saddened by the loss of Maya Angelou’s son, Guy Johnson, and send our sincere condolences to his family,” Wake Forest said in a statement Thursday (February 17).

“Mr. Johnson was a good friend to Wake Forest and recently worked with the university to establish the Maya Angelou Artist-in-Residence Award to honor his mother’s legacy, celebrate exceptional artists and inspire future generations of Wake Forest students.”

Guy Johnson’s Wife and Kids

Guy Johnson was survived by his wife and kids. Guy Johnson got married to her wife Stephanie Floyd-Johnson. The exact year, when they got married, is unknown. Guy had two children, they are  Colin Ashanti Murphy-Johnson and Elliott Jones.

Guy’s son Colin was kidnapped at the age of 4. Angelou recalled a conversation she had with her son in which he asked her to let him go if necessary, saying:

“Mother, I refuse to live a talking head… I have to ask you something no one should ever ask a mother. If there’s no chance of recovery, I have to ask you to pull the plug and let me go.”

Johnson was under emotional stress, yearning to see his son, Colin. In 1981, the boy’s mother abducted him when he was five years old.

Angelou and her son Guy spent four years and a lot of money looking for her missing child. After police failed to find any leads, she contacted private detectives to assist with the investigation, but his whereabouts remained unknown.

Finally, while Angelou was on a trip to Columbus, Ohio, an anonymous woman contacted her and said she knew Colin and his mother. His name had now been changed by his mother to Luke Clark.

The woman explained she previously lived with Colin and his mother and wanted to help Angelou and Johnson connect with the child. So with help from the woman and Angelou’s lawyers, the family was finally reunited. 

Much later in life, Colin and his father Guy Johnson set up a company, Caged Bird Legacy, to manage Angelou’s intellectual property and legacy.