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Maya Angelou (/ ˈ æ n dʒ ə l oʊ / ⓘ AN-jə-loh; [1] [2] born Marguerite Annie Johnson; April 4, 1928 – May 28, 2014) was an American memoirist, poet, and civil rights activist. She published seven autobiographies, three books of essays, several books of poetry, and is credited with a list of plays, movies, and television shows spanning ...
Maya Angelou (1928-2014) was not just a poet, of course: she was an influential civil rights campaigner in the United States, and her autobiography, I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings, is a classic of the genre.
Jul 30, 2024 · Maya Angelou, American poet, memoirist, and actress whose several volumes of autobiography explore the themes of economic, racial, and sexual oppression. She is perhaps best known for her autobiographical work I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings (1969). Learn more about Angelou’s life and works in this article.
- The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica
- Maya Angelou was an American poet, memoirist, and actress whose several volumes of autobiography explore the themes of economic, racial, and sexual...
- Maya Angelou’s first autobiographical work, I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings (1969), gained critical acclaim and a National Book Award nomination. H...
- In addition to writing, Maya Angelou was a dancer who studied with Martha Graham and Pearl Primus. She acted onstage, in films, and on television i...
- Maya Angelou was awarded the National Medal of Arts (2000) and the Presidential Medal of Freedom (2010). She won three Grammy Awards for her spoken...
- Literature
- Early life
- Fictional character biography
- Writing
- Military service
- Other activities
- Music
- Acting career
- Awards and honors
- Death and legacy
Poet, dancer, singer, activist, and scholar, Maya Angelou is a world-famous author. She is best known for her unique and pioneering autobiographical writing style.
On April 4, 1928, Marguerite Annie Johnson, known to the world as Maya Angelou, was born in St. Louis, Missouri. Due to her parents tumultuous marriage and subsequent divorce, Angelou went to live with her paternal grandmother in Stamps, Arkansas from an early age. Her older brother, Bailey, gave Angelou her nickname Maya.
Returning to her mothers care briefly at the age of seven, Angelou was raped by her mothers boyfriend. He was later jailed and then killed when released from jail. Believing that her confession of the trauma had a hand in the mans death, Angelou became mute for 6 years. During her mutism and into her teens, she again lived with her grandmother in A...
Angelous interest in the written word and the English language was evident from an early age. Throughout her childhood, she wrote essays, poetry, and kept a journal. When she returned to Arkansas, she took an interest in poetry and memorized works by Shakespeare and Poe.
When war broke out, Angelou applied to join the Womens Army Corps. However, her application was rejected because of her involvement in the California Labor School, which was said to have Communist ties. Determined to gain employment, despite only being 15 years old, she decided to apply for the position of street car conductor. Many men had left th...
After graduation, Angelou undertook many civil rights activities. She was northern coordinator of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference. This organization, which was created in 1957 by Martin Luther King Jr. and originally known as the Southern Leadership Conference, advocates for the rights of African Americans in the United States.
Angelou is also noted for her many and varied singing and dancing styles, including her calypso music performances. She has written numerous poetry volumes, such as her first book of poetry, entitled Just Give me a Drink of Water fore I Diiie. She has also recorded spoken albums of her poetry, including On the Pulse of the Morning, which she won th...
Angelou also carried out a wide variety of activities on stage and screen as writer, director, and producer. In 1972, she became the first African American woman to have her screen play turned into a film with the production of Georgia, Georgia. The supporting parts that she played in the films, Look Away in 1973 and Roots in 1977, garnered her Ton...
She has been recognized by many universities both nationally and internationally for her contributions to literature. In 1981, Wake Forest University offered Angelou the position of the Reynolds Professorship of American Studies. She has also given many commencement speeches and she has been awarded numerous honorary degrees.
Angelou died on May 28, 2014. Several memorials were held in her honor including ones at Wake Forest University and Glide Memorial Church in San Francisco. To honor her legacy, the US Postal Service issued a stamp with her likeness on it in 2015. There was some controversy surrounding the stamp, because it erroneously credited her with the quote th...
Jan 16, 2024 · Maya Angelou was a poet and author known for her 1969 memoir, ‘I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings.’ Read about her poems, books, quotes, quarter, and more facts.
Maya Angelou by Ross Rossin, 2013. National Portrait Gallery, gift of Andrew J. Young Foundation. Turning 75 this month, Maya Angelou has led many lives. She is best known as a writer,...
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I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings is a 1969 autobiography describing the young and early years of American writer and poet Maya Angelou. The first in a seven-volume series, it is a coming-of-age story that illustrates how strength of character and a love of literature can help overcome racism and trauma .
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