Basic Information
| Field | Details |
|---|---|
| Full name | Colin Ashanti Murphy-johnson |
| Public identity | Grandson of poet Marguerite “Maya” Angelou |
| Parents | Guy Bailey Johnson; Sharon Murphy |
| Sibling(s) | Elliott Jones (half-brother) |
| Great-grandparents | Vivian Baxter Johnson; Bailey Johnson |
| Public roles | Named principal in family entity managing Maya Angelou intellectual property |
| Notable events | Maya Angelou death: May 28, 2014; NASA presentation: 2015; Family lawsuit filed: November 2017 |
| Media presence | Low-profile; appearances at family and institutional events; social mentions and event photographs |
Biography and Public Profile
Colin Ashanti Murphy-johnson occupies a quiet corner of a family that lives large in the American imagination. He is publicly known as a grandson of the poet Marguerite “Maya” Angelou and as the son of Guy Bailey Johnson and Sharon Murphy. He has not courted celebrity. Instead he appears in institutional photographs, family programs, and legal filings that sketch a life tied to stewardship of a cultural inheritance.
His public identity is less about a single career title and more about a role in a shared enterprise. He has been named as a principal in the family entity formed to manage Angelou’s intellectual property, a position that places him at the crossroads of literature, memory, and commerce. In photographs he stands among relatives at commemorations and at formal handovers of materials to institutions. He is present where legacy meets ceremony.
Family and Personal Relationships
Family here reads like a branching manuscript, with each name carrying context and continuity.
| Relation | Name | Role and notes |
|---|---|---|
| Father | Guy Bailey Johnson | Maya Angelou’s only child; family estate principal; passed away in 2022 or early 2023 per public notices |
| Mother | Sharon Murphy | Identified in public records and memoirs; central to a family episode in the 1980s when she took her child and later published a memoir |
| Sibling | Elliott Jones | Publicly identified as a brother or half-brother; appears in family programming |
| Great-grandparents | Vivian Baxter Johnson; Bailey Johnson | Ancestors of Maya Angelou; part of the family genealogy and historical context |
| Extended family | Multiple grandchildren and relatives | Appear in estate materials and event photographs; names vary across public programs |
The family story is layered. A highly publicized episode from the late 1970s and 1980s involving a child taken by his mother is part of the public record and later recounted in memoir and press. That chapter gave the family a complicated narrative thread that has carried into later decades. Members have different public profiles. Some speak at events. Some manage estate matters. Colin has been seen as one of the younger custodians within this extended kinship.
Career, Achievements, and Public Work
Colin’s external accomplishments are more closely linked to family stewardship than to a conventional business CV. In the family business that oversees Maya Angelou’s intellectual property, he is identified as a named principal. In terms of permissions, public appearances, and institutional collaborations including the poet’s work, this placement amounts to custodial authority.
Important public initiatives and accomplishments include:
involvement in a symbolic act that connected poetry and public science in 2015 when family members gave Angelou materials to an institutional partner following a mission flight.
serving as the family’s visible spokesperson at public events, memorials, and celebrations.
being included as a partner or participant in the legacy vehicle that protects Angelou’s writings and image in estate-related business paperwork.
These actions are the result of representation and preservation efforts. They seem to be the product of a guardian juggling public expectations, family memories, and legal obligations. Colin’s attendance at official transfers and archival ceremonies indicates that some members of the family circle have faith in him.
Financial and Legal Matters
According to public documents, there was a time when family disputes reached the court system. Guy Bailey Johnson filed a civil complaint in November 2017 citing his son’s misbehavior and making claims over cash and control of the family business that oversees Angelou’s intellectual property. Allegations of attempted asset diversion and control were laid forth in the papers and the media that followed.
Legal markers and numbers to take attention of:
A legal lawsuit alleging mismanagement and an attempt to seize power was filed in California in November 2017.
Although exact proprietary valuations are not publicly verified, news reports described percentages in family statements in some accounts; estate ownership references in public statements show a distribution of interests following Maya Angelou’s death that placed different family members in distinct roles.
Private financial documents and exact personal net worth are not available to the public. Allegations are made in court documents. Named roles are displayed in estate announcements and public event filings. In addition, tax returns and private bank information are not publicly available.
Recent Mentions, Social Media, and Public Presence
Colin does not command headlines daily. His presence is episodic, appearing chiefly in connection with family legacy events and institutional partnerships. Highlights of public mentions include:
- 2015 event materials and photographs documenting a family presentation to a national agency.
- 2017 legal reporting that focused on a dispute within the family over management of the legacy vehicle.
- Ongoing social media and LinkedIn mentions where individuals note meeting family representatives at museums, mints, or commemorations.
In the age of the image, a photograph at a podium can function as a résumé line. Colin’s digital footprint is composed of such images, program listings, and intermittent mentions rather than a steady stream of public commentary.
Extended Timeline
| Year | Event |
|---|---|
| Late 1970s to 1980s | A family episode involving Sharon Murphy and her child becomes public and is later recounted in memoir and press. |
| May 28, 2014 | Death of Marguerite “Maya” Angelou. |
| 2015 | Family event and institutional presentation of Angelou materials; Colin appears in photographs and program notes. |
| November 2017 | Civil complaint filed by Guy Bailey Johnson alleging misconduct and mismanagement by a family principal. |
| 2018 to 2023 | Continued family programming, commemorations, and institutional engagements; public remembrances and notices following family deaths. |
| 2022 to early 2023 | Public notices announce the passing of Guy Bailey Johnson; family remembrances list surviving relatives including grandchildren. |
The timeline reads like a ledger of stewardship and dispute, of commemorations and legal pages. Dates stand as landmarks where private family life touched public record.
FAQ
Who is Colin Ashanti Murphy-johnson?
Colin Ashanti Murphy-johnson is publicly known as a grandson of Marguerite “Maya” Angelou and a named principal in the family entity that manages her intellectual property.
What is his family background?
He is the son of Guy Bailey Johnson and Sharon Murphy, and the brother or half-brother of Elliott Jones, with great-grandparents Vivian Baxter Johnson and Bailey Johnson.
What roles has he held in the family estate?
He has been listed as a principal or stakeholder in the family entity charged with managing Maya Angelou’s writings and public legacy.
Has he been involved in legal disputes?
A civil complaint filed in November 2017 by his father alleged misconduct in the administration of the family legacy entity.
Is Colin a public figure?
He maintains a low public profile, appearing chiefly at family events, institutional handovers, and in program photographs rather than as a media personality.
Are his financial details public?
Specific personal financial records and net worth are not publicly available; public materials record roles and alleged disputes but not audited personal finances.
