Maya Angelou: A Life of Inspiration and Influence
Maya Angelou was an exceptional poet, author, and performer, whose 1969 memoir I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings garnered widespread acclaim. Her legacy as a multitalented artist, civil rights activist, and powerful voice for social justice continues to inspire generations.
Who Was Maya Angelou?
Maya Angelou was a writer and performer with many talents, best recognized for her work as a poet and author. Her 1969 autobiography I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings not only made history as the first nonfiction bestseller by an African American woman but also became a cornerstone in American literature. Some of her most celebrated poems include “Phenomenal Woman,” “Still I Rise,” and “On the Pulse of Morning”—the latter of which she performed at President Bill Clinton’s 1993 inauguration, earning her a Grammy Award. Beyond her literary accomplishments, Angelou thrived in acting and music, securing Tony and Emmy nominations. In 1972, she became the first Black woman to have a screenplay produced, with the movie Georgia, Georgia. Her activism led her to work alongside iconic figures like Martin Luther King Jr. and Malcolm X. Angelou was honored with the Presidential Medal of Freedom before her death in 2014 at the age of 86.
Early Life of Maya Angelou
Born Marguerite Ann Johnson on April 4, 1928, in St. Louis, Maya Angelou’s early life was marked by hardship. Her parents divorced when she was very young, and she and her older brother, Bailey, were sent to live with their grandmother, Anne Henderson, in Stamps, Arkansas. It was Bailey who began calling her “Maya,” a name that stuck throughout her life.
Growing up in the South, Maya experienced racial discrimination firsthand. When she was just seven years old, she was sexually assaulted by her mother’s boyfriend. After her uncles avenged this crime by killing the man, young Maya was left so traumatized that she became mute for nearly five years.