I've only read a bit of her work, wasn't my cup of tea but I recognize her impact as a whole.
I had a very weird "experience" with her many years ago that always made it hard for me to "like" her. I was watching a talkshow and she was a guest, I don't remember who the host was, it was at least 20 years ago so this is not recent.
During a Q and A one of the audience members stands up, young girl late teens maybe, and she says "I have a question for Maya" and before she can ask the question, Angelou loudly cuts her off and goes into a tirade about how ignorant this girl is and how she clearly wasn't raised well by her parents to not know she should refer to her as Miss Angelou or Mrs not Maya because "I'm your elder not your equal."
The poor kid tried repeatedly to apologize, the host tried to change the subject, but Angelou would not drop it. Finally the girl, in tears now, sat down and then her mom sitting next to her jumps up and angrily starts defending her daughter and her parenting skills and says how we came here today to see you because you're one my idols and my daughter was so looking forward to this and you've now completely destroyed it for us.
I just googled it trying to see if I could find it but I couldn't. It was one of the more awkward moments I've ever seen on tv, it wasn't live I assume but while the original point may be true, you don't know her so don't call her by her first name, she was so over the top going after the poor girl it really colored my perception of her.
I have always assumed I just saw her on a bad day, but I can't hear her name without remembering that scene and how badly I felt for the kid. She never did get to ask her question IIRC.