ATLANTA (AP) - Atlanta Mayor Kasim Reed and King Center officials say they're mourning the loss of renowned poet and author Maya Angelou. <br />
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Angelou, died Wednesday at her home in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. She had been a professor of American studies at Wake Forest University. <br />
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Reed said in a statement that Angelou was a national treasure whose life and teachings inspired millions worldwide. Reed says Angelou inspired him ``to live with integrity, pride, courage and faith.'' <br />
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Officials from the King Center say Angelou will be remembered for her compassion and for advocating for the poor and oppressed in America and overseas. King Center officials say Angelou supported Martin Luther King Jr. and was a close friend of his wife and the center's founder Coretta Scott King. <br />
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Angelou was 86 years old.
