And Still I Rise was published by Random House in 1978. The collection contains Angelou’s most famous poem — the title poem — which has become one of the most widely quoted poems in the English language: “You may write me down in history / With your bitter, twisted lies, / You may trod me in the very dirt / But still, like dust, I’ll rise.”
The poem works through accumulation: each stanza names a form of oppression (historical lies, sexual objectification, economic exploitation) and responds with defiant assertion of survival. The rhythm is that of gospel and blues — the call-and-response pattern that transforms individual suffering into collective triumph. The poem speaks simultaneously as woman, as Black person, and as human being — the layers of identity are inseparable.
The collection as a whole is organized around themes of resistance and sexuality — Angelou claims both her political defiance and her erotic power as sources of strength. Poems like “Phenomenal Woman” (included in the next collection but sometimes associated with this one) celebrate the Black female body not as it appears to the white gaze but as it is experienced from within: powerful, sensual, commanding. The political and the personal are never separated in Angelou’s work — to be a Black woman who survives and thrives is itself a political act.
Collecting And Still I Rise
First edition (Random House, New York, 1978): Cloth with dust jacket.
Market values:
- First edition, fine/fine: $100–$300
- Very good: $40–$100
- Signed: $200–$500
Projected values (2026–2036): Strong appreciation. Contains her most famous poems.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is “Still I Rise” about? The title poem is Angelou’s most famous work — a defiant celebration of resilience in the face of oppression, racism, and sexism. The poem’s repetition of “I rise” builds to a crescendo that makes it one of the most anthologized and recited poems in the English language. The collection (1978) also includes “Phenomenal Woman” and other poems that became touchstones of Black feminist literature.