Maya Angelou (born Marguerite Ann Johnson on April 4, 1928) was an American autobiographer and poet. Having been called "America's most visible black female autobiographer" by scholar Joanne M. Braxton, she is best known for her series of six autobiographies, which focus on her childhood and early adulthood experiences. The first, best-known, and most highly acclaimed, I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings (1969), focuses on the first seventeen years of her life, brought her international recognition.
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Maya Angelou biography
Angelou has had a long and varied career, holding jobs such as fry cook, dancer, actress, journalist, educator, television producer, and film director. She was a member of the Harlem Writers Guild in the late 1950s. She was active in the Civil Rights movement, and served as Northern Coordinator of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.'s Southern Christian Leadership Conference. Angelou has been highly honored for her body of work, including being awarded over 30 honorary degrees and the nomination of a Pulitzer Prize for her 1971 volume of poetry, Just Give Me a Cool Drink of Water 'Fore I Diiie. Since the 1990s, she has had a busy career on the lecture circuit, making about 80 appearances a year. Since 1991, Angelou has taught at Wake Forest University in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, as recipient of the first lifetime Reynolds Professorship of American Studies. In 1993, she recited her poem "On the Pulse of Morning" at President Bill Clinton's inauguration, the first poet to make an inaugural recitation since Robert Frost at John F. Kennedy's inauguration in 1961. In 1995, she was recognized for having the longest-running record (two years) on The New York Times Paperback Nonfiction Bestseller List.
With the publication of I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings, Angelou was heralded as a new kind of memoirist, one of the first African American women who was able to publicly discuss her personal life. She became recognized and highly respected as a spokesperson for blacks and women. Angelou's use of fiction-writing techniques often result in the placement of her books into the genre of autobiographical fiction, but they are better characterized as autobiographies. Angelou has made a deliberate attempt through her work to challenge the common structure of the autobiography by critiquing, changing, and expanding the genre. Although her books have been used extensively in the classroom, they have also been challenged or banned in schools and libraries. Her books and poetry have covered themes such as identity, family, and racism.
Early years
Maya Angelou was born in St. Louis, Missouri, on April 4, 1928 to Bailey Johnson, a doorman and naval dietitian, and Vivian Baxter Johnson, a nurse, real estate agent, and, later, merchant marine. Angelou's brother, Bailey Jr., gave her the nickname "Maya". The details of Angelou's life, although described in her six autobiographies and in numerous interviews, speeches, and articles, tend to be inconsistent. Her biographer, Mary Jane Lupton, explains that when Angelou speaks about her life, she does so eloquently but informally and "with no time chart in front of her".
When Angelou was three and her brother four, their parents' "calamitous marriage" ended, and their father sent them alone by train to live with his mother, Mrs. Annie Henderson, in Stamps, Arkansas. Angelou's first book, I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings, recounts the first 17 years of her life. Four years later, the children's father "came to Stamps without warning" and returned them to their mother's care in St. Louis. At age eight, Angelou was sexually abused and raped by her mother's boyfriend, Mr. Freeman. She confessed it to her brother, who told the rest of their family. Mr. Freeman was jailed for one day but was found kicked to death four days after his release. Angelou became mute, believing, as she has stated, "I thought if I spoke, my mouth would just issue out something that would kill people, randomly, so it was better not to talk." She remained nearly mute for five years.
Angelou and her brother were sent back to their grandmother once again. Angelou credits a close friend in Stamps, teacher Bertha Flowers, for helping her speak again, as well as introducing her to classic literature. When she was thirteen, she and her brother returned to live with her mother in San Francisco, California; during World War II, she attended George Washington High School and studied dance and drama on a scholarship at the California Labor School. Before graduating, she worked as the first black female streetcar conductor in San Francisco. Three weeks after completing school, she gave birth to her son, Guy Johnson, who also became a poet.
Angelou's second autobiography, Gather Together in My Name, recounts her life from the ages of 17-19. As feminist states, this book "depicts a single mother's slide down the social ladder into poverty and crime." In those years, Angelou went through a series of relationships, occupations, and cities as she attempted to raise her son and to "find her niche," or place in the world. A turning point in this book occurred when a lover seduced her into becoming a prostitute and her son was kidnapped.
Angelou married her eighth husband, Greek sailor Tosh Angelos in 1952; the marriage ended three years later. She adopted her professional name by combining her childhood name with the feminine declension of her husband's surname. (Ms. Angelou tends not to admit how many times she has been married, "for fear of sounding frivolous.") She toured Europe with a production of the opera Porgy and Bess in 1954–1955, studied modern dance with Martha Graham, danced with Alvin Ailey on television variety shows, and recorded her first record album, Miss Calypso, in 1957. By the end of the 1950s, Angelou moved to New York City, where she acted in off-Broadway productions and met artists and writers active in the Civil Rights Movement. From 1959 to 1960, Angelou held the position of Northern Coordinator for the Southern Christian Leadership Conference at the request of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. In the early 1960s, Angelou briefly lived with South African freedom fighter Vusumi Make, and moved with him and her son Guy to Cairo, Egypt, where she became an associate editor at the weekly newspaper The Arab Observer. In 1962, her relationship with Make ended, and she and Guy moved to Ghana. She became an assistant administrator at the University of Ghana's School of Music and Drama, was a feature editor for The African Review, acted, and wrote plays.
Angelou became close friends with Malcolm X in Ghana and returned to America in 1964 to help him build a new civil rights organization, the Organization of African American Unity. King was assassinated on her birthday (April 4) in 1968. (She did not celebrate her birthday for many years for that reason.) Inspired by a meeting with her friend James Baldwin, cartoonist Jules Feiffer, and Feiffer's wife Judy, she dealt with her grief by writing her first autobiography, I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings, which catapulted her to international fame and critical acclaim.
I know Why the Caged Bird Sings
I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou, stands as a testament to the power of resilience and the triumph of the human spirit over adversity. Published in 1969, this seminal work offers readers an intimate glimpse into Angelou's tumultuous childhood and her journey towards self-discovery and empowerment. In I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings, Angelou recounts her early years growing up in the racially segregated town of Stamps, Arkansas, where she was raised by her grandmother. Through vivid and lyrical prose, she paints a vivid picture of the joys and sorrows, the triumphs and tribulations that shaped her formative years.
At the heart of Angelou's memoir lies her unwavering belief in the power of literature and language to transcend the limitations imposed by society. Drawing inspiration from the works of Shakespeare, Dickens, and other literary giants, she found solace and strength in the written word, using poetry and storytelling as a means of expression and liberation. I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings is not merely a memoir; it is a manifesto of resilience, a testament to the transformative power of storytelling, and a rallying cry for social justice and equality. Through her courageous honesty and unflinching self-reflection, Angelou invites readers to confront the harsh realities of racism and oppression while celebrating the beauty and resilience of the human spirit.
Since its publication, I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings has captivated readers around the world, earning widespread acclaim for its lyrical prose, searing honesty, and profound insights into the human experience. Maya Angelou's timeless memoir continues to inspire and empower readers of all ages, reminding us of the importance of resilience, courage, and the power of storytelling to effect change in the world.
Poetic and powerful, I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings will touch hearts and change minds for as long as people read.
All God's Children Need Traveling Shoes
All God's Children Need Traveling Shoes is Maya Angelou's captivating memoir that chronicles her journey of self-discovery and belonging as she settles into life in Ghana. Delving into themes of identity, community, and the search for home, Angelou's lyrical prose invites readers to join her as she navigates the complexities of cultural exchange and the universal longing for connection. With poignant reflections and vivid storytelling, this memoir resonates as a timeless exploration of the human spirit's quest for belonging and purpose.
Maya Angelou books in order
Gather Together in My Name (1974)
Singin' and Swingin' and Gettin' Merry Like Christmas (1976)
The Heart of a Woman (1981)
All God's Children Need Traveling Shoes (1986)
A Song Flung Up To Heaven (2002)
The Collected Autobiographies of Maya Angelou (2004)
Life Doesn't Frighten Me (poem) - 1993
Soul Looks Back in Wonder - 1993
My Painted House, My Friendly Chicken and Me - 1994
Kofi and His Magic - 1996
Maya's World series - 2004
Poetry
Oh Pray My Wings are Gonna Fit Me Well - 1975
And Still I Rise - 1978
Shaker, Why Don't You Sing - 1983
Now Sheba Sings the Song - 1987
I Shall Not Be Moved - 1990
On the Pulse of Morning - 1993
The Complete Collected Poems of Maya Angelou - 1994
Phenomenal Woman: Four Poems for Women - 1995
A Brave and Startling Truth - 1995
From a Black Woman to a Black Man - 1995
Amazing Peace - 2005
Mother, a Cradle to Hold Me - 2006
Celebrations, Rituals of Peace and Prayer - 2006
Poetry for Young People - 2007
His Day is Done - 2013
Maya Angelou: The Complete Poetry - 2015
Woman Work
Cabaret for Freedom (musical revue), with Godfrey Cambridge - 1960
The Least of These - 1966
The Best of These (drama) - 1966
Gettin' up Stayed on My Mind - 1967
Sophocles, Ajax (adaptation) - 1974
And Still I Rise (writer/director) - 1976
Moon on a Rainbow Shawl (director) - 1978
Georgia, Georgia - 1972
All Day Long - 1974
Television
Writer, I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings - 1979
Writer, Brewster Place - 1990-1991
Writer, Angelou on Burns - 1996
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