The line often associated with Angelou’s I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings appeared in a children’s book written two years prior.
The quote that appears on the Maya Angelou Forever Stamp, which was released Tuesday, may have been misattributed, the U.S. Postal Service announced.
2015 U.S. Postal Service
The sentence, "A bird doesn't sing because it has an answer, it sings because it has a song," appears in Angelou's acclaimed autobiography, I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings, published in 1969.
Mark Saunders, communications representative for the U.S. Postal Service, told BuzzFeed News in an email that the line "was chosen to accompany her image on the stamp to reflect her passion for the written and spoken word," and that it "held great meaning for her and she is publicly identified with its popularity."
But two years before I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings was printed, children's author Joan Walsh Anglund wrote A Cup of Sun, which contains the same quote.
The incorrect attribution was reported by the Washington Post on Monday, which alerted the U.S. Postal service to the mistake.
"Further, it appears that this sentiment likely springs from much older sources than both women – and all of us draw upon this wisdom for inspiration," Saunders added. "Had we known about this issue beforehand, we might have used one of her many other works."
The U.S. Postal Service will honor Maya Angelou — the beloved author, poet, actress and champion of equality — with a Forever Stamp.
"Maya Angelou inspired our nation through a life of advocacy and through her many contributions to the written and spoken word," said Postmaster General Megan J. Brennan. "Her wide-ranging achievements as a playwright, poet, memoirist, educator, and advocate for justice and equality enhanced our culture."
Via about.usps.com
The stamp showcases Atlanta-based artist Ross Rossin's 2013 48" × 48" oil-on-canvas portrait of Angelou. The large hyper-realistic painting is part of the Smithsonian National Portrait Gallery's collection, where it will be on display through Nov. 1.
Customers are encouraged to use social media to spread the news about the stamp using #MayaForever.
Via about.usps.com
