Introduction
Tosh Angelos was the Greek-American sailor who married Maya Angelou in 1951, fathered her son Guy Johnson, and gave her the iconic surname that would become world-renowned.
Their interracial union was a bold act of love that defied the rigid racial barriers of 1950s America. Although their marriage was short-lived, its impact resonated throughout Angelou’s life and legacy.
This article explores the story of Maya Angelou and Enistasious Tosh Angelos, examining the influence of their relationship and the lives of their children, most notably Guy Johnson, who passed away in 2022, leaving his mark on the world.
Key Facts
| Key Fact | Details |
| Tosh Angelos’ Identity | Enistasious Tosh Angelos, born 1925, was a Greek-American sailor and electrician, Maya Angelou’s first husband (1951–1954), and Guy Johnson’s father. |
| Greek Heritage | Tosh’s surname, Angelos, inspired Maya’s stage name, “Angelou,” a cornerstone of her legacy as a poet. |
| Interracial Marriage | Married Maya Angelou in 1951, defying 1950s racial norms after California’s 1948 anti-miscegenation law repeal; divorced in 1954 due to differing values. |
| Influence on Maya’s Stage Name | Tosh’s surname, Angelos, inspired Maya’s stage name, “Angelou,” a cornerstone of her legacy as a poet. |
| Guy Johnson | Guy Johnson, born 1945, was Maya Angelou’s son and Tosh’s son; a poet and novelist, he died in 2022 (Guy Johnson cause of death undisclosed). |
| Maya’s Later Relationships | Maya partnered with Vusumzi L. Make (1961–1963, not married) in Cairo and married Paul du Feu (1974–1981), remaining friends post-divorce. |
| Maya’s Early Career | Tosh supported Maya’s roles as a calypso dancer and singer at the Purple Onion, aiding her transition to poet. |
| Tosh’s Later Life and Death | Post-divorce, Tosh worked as an electrician; died in 1978, buried at Willamette National Cemetery as a veteran sailor. |
| Maya Angelou’s Cause of Death | Maya died in 2014 at 86 from respiratory failure, working on an autobiography despite poor health. |
| Guy Johnson’s Cause of Death | Guy Johnson died in 2022; his cause of death was not publicly disclosed. |
| Cultural Impact | Maya Angelou Enistasious Tosh Angelos’ marriage symbolized resistance, inspiring themes in I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings and Maya’s civil rights activism. |
| Historical Context | Their 1951 marriage aligned with 1950s racial shifts, including 1948 law repeal and 1954 Brown v. Board of Education. |
Early Life of Tosh Angelos
Greek Roots and Early Years
Enistasious Tosh Angelos was born in 1925 in a Greek-American neighborhood, likely in San Francisco.
His Greek ancestry shaped his identity, but he adopted atheism, an aspect of his character that later defined his marriage to Maya Angelou.
Little is known of his early life, but his cultural background was characteristic of the era’s large-scale immigration.
Sailor and Electrician
Tosh went to sea and also worked as an electrician, epitomizing the working-class spirit. He met Maya, a single mother to Guy Johnson, in San Francisco.
He also offered early stability as Guy Johnson’s father, and the marriage in 1951 was the culmination of that stability.
Tosh Angelos and Maya Angelou’s Marriage
A Chance Encounter
It was in San Francisco in the 1950s that he met Marguerite Johnson, a young performer who was raising Guy Johnson.
Their romance, which had probably begun at a local dance, blossomed into marriage in 1951. Tosh, a nurturing seaman, continued to stand behind Maya as she reconciled motherhood with her nascent career.
Defying Racial Norms
They were the first interracial couple to marry. Their union was legalized in 1948, when California repealed anti-miscegenation laws, but prejudice endured.
Maya Angelou faced struggles, but their love prevailed until 1954, when the marriage fell apart due to, among other things, Tosh’s atheism.
Shaping Maya’s Identity and Guy Johnson
Tosh’s last name, Angelos, was the basis for Maya’s stage name, “Angelou,” one of her most notable legacies.
Guy Johnson was born in 1945 and came of age during this watershed moment. Her subsequent relationships with Vusumzi L.
Make (1961–1963, unmarried) and Paul du Feu (1974–1981), and those love affairs, grew out of this soil, enriched her journey.
Tosh Angelos’ Role in Maya Angelou’s Early Career
Championing Maya’s Talent
He supported Maya in the early days of her career as a calypso dancer and singer at San Francisco’s Purple Onion.
A single mom to Guy Johnson, Maya flourished under Tosh, delivering soulful routines that hinted at her future poetic voice. His cheerleading allowed her to bloom.
Building an Artistic Legacy
In her stage name, Angelou, Maya played a role in shaping Tosh’s identity. Guy Johnson saw his mother ascend and later echoed her as a poet.
Maya’s collaboration with Vusumzi L. Make in Cairo and the support of Paul du Feu in her writing years extended Tosh’s early influence.
Maya’s Early Career Milestones:
- 1940s: Started dancing and singing as a single mother.
- 1951–1954: She did The Purple Onion, alongside Tosh.
- 1960s: Became a writer, influenced by early experiences.
Life After Divorce and Tosh’s Legacy
A Quiet Life
Tosh Angelos, whose name is merely a contraction of his former self, remained a recluse following the 1954 divorce and worked in California as an electrician.
His life after Maya is little known, but he was the father of Guy Johnson, and his existence left a faint mark on their family.
Final Years
Tosh died in 1978, and his remains were interred at Willamette National Cemetery in recognition of his seaman and veteran status. His life was quiet, but not so his legacy.
Legacy Through Guy Johnson
The influence of Tosh lives on through Guy Johnson, a poet and novelist who succumbed to death in 2022 (Guy Johnson’s cause of death not revealed).
Maya had relationships with Vusumzi L. Make and Paul du Feu that would shape her later years, but Tosh’s influence remains first and lasting.
“What was Tosh Angelos’ fate after the divorce?” “When did he die?” “How did Guy Johnson die?”
Maya Angelou’s Later Life and Family
Global Connections
In Cairo, from 1961 to 1963, Maya traveled with Vusumzi L. Make, a South African activist, though the two did not marry.
She was then married to Paul du Feu, a Welsh builder, from 1974 to 1981; their friendship continued after their divorce. These ties animated her work as a civil rights activist.
Guy Johnson’s Contributions
Maya Angelou’s son, her only other child, was born in 1945 and is a poet and novelist, Guy Johnson.
Known for surviving a near fatal car accident while in Ghana, he died in 2022, and his cause of death was not given when Guy Johnson died. His work extended Maya’s literary legacy.
Maya’s Final Chapter
Maya Angelou’s cause of death was respiratory failure in 2014 at age 86. Despite her frail health, she continued to work on an autobiography, and she is remembered as both a poet and an activist.
| Partner | Years | Key Details |
| Tosh Angelos | 1951–1954 | First husband; father of Guy Johnson; inspired her stage name. |
| Vusumzi L. Make | 1961–1963 | South African activist; not legally married; lived together during Cairo years. |
| Paul du Feu | 1974–1981 | Welsh builder; remained friends after divorce. |
“Who was Vusumzi L. Make?” “What kind of relationship did Paul du Feu have with Maya Angelou?” “Who was Maya Angelou’s son?” “What killed Maya Angelou?”
Historical Context of Their Interracial Marriage
1950s Racial Challenges
In the 1950s, few people were marrying each other across interracial lines. Maya Angelou and Enistasious Tosh Angelos were able to marry thanks to the 1948 repeal of California’s anti-miscegenation law, but social prejudice remained.
They were an unconventional couple who defied expectations, a distinction that Guy Johnson took to heart.
A Broader Impact
Their marriage sends a daring message about the times. Maya’s subsequent work with Vusumzi L. Civil rights campaigners would build on this bravery, and thus, she became recognized as a civil rights activist.
Key 1950s Racial Events:
- 1948: Anti-miscegenation laws are repealed in California.
- 1954: School segregation ends in Brown v. Board of Education.
- 1955: The Montgomery Bus Boycott starts.
“How did their marriage matter?” “How did it influence Guy Johnson?”
Tosh Angelos Cultural Impact and Legacy Reflections
A Symbol of Defiance
Published 5:45 am EST, Thursday, November 5, 2020. The interracial marriage of Enistasious Tosh Angelos and Maya Angelou in 1951 was a bold statement of defiance during the 1950s era of racism.
California’s 1948 repeal of its anti-miscegenation laws made their union possible, but societal disapproval persisted. Their love defied conventions, influencing Maya’s later public involvement in the civil rights movement.
Recalling this time in I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings, Maya Angelou demonstrates how the indomitable spirit of Maya Angelou is indomitable.
He inspired young people everywhere to come together as a beacon of hope during times of division.
Influence on Literature and Family
Maya inherited her signature stage name, Angelou, from her mother, Tosh, who had Greek heritage. Their son, Guy Johnson, born in 1945, was shaped by this mixed heritage as a poet and novelist.
His passing in 2022, followed by Guy Johnson’s cause of death, which has not been disclosed, was a tragic close to their family’s tale.
Maya’s subsequent relationships with Vusumzi L. Make (1961–1963, never married) and Paul du Feu (1974–1981) expanded upon Tosh’s early support, propelling her international reputation as a poet.
Cultural Impacts:
- Literature: Maya’s autobiographies, which provide readers with a first-person account of her life in books like The Heart of a Woman, will be kept alive as themes of love and rebellion.
- Civil Rights: Their marriage would presage Maya’s activism with Vusumzi L. Make in Cairo.
- Family Legacy: How Guy Johnson’s Poetry Reflects His Parents’ Courage and Cultural Mix.
Conclusion
Enistasious Tosh Angelos, a Greek-American sailor, was a formative presence in Maya Angelou’s early family life, as her first husband and the father of Guy Johnson.
Their interracial marriage was a challenge to 1950s norms, and Maya’s stage name was born. Her subsequent ties to Vusumzi L.
Make and Paul du Feu, her death in 2014 of respiratory failure, and Guy Johnson’s death in 2022 (Guy Johnson’s cause of death was unspecified) created a complex legacy.
A hush of Tosh underwrites Maya’s work. Read “I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings” to find out, and tell us what you think about Maya’s legacy!
Frequently Asked Questions
Who Was Enistasious Tosh Angelos?
A Greek-American sailor who was Maya Angelou’s first husband and the father of Guy Johnson.
Who Was Guy Johnson’s Father?
Tosh Angelos, who stood by Maya and Guy Johnson throughout their marriage from 1951 to 1954.
Who Was Vusumzi L. Make?
A South African activist and Maya’s lover (1961–1963, not married) in Cairo.
What Was Paul du Feu and Maya Angelou’s Relationship?
Maya’s husband (1974-81) was Paul du Feu, and they remained friends.
What Was Guy Johnson’s Cause of Death?
Guy Johnson died in 2022; the cause of death is undisclosed.
What Was Maya Angelou’s Cause of Death?
She was 86 and died of respiratory failure in 2014.
