-Born on April 4, 1928 in St. Louis, Missouri
-Real name was Marguerite Annie Johnson
-After performance in 20’s, got name Maya Angelou(also from her brother who couldn’t pronounce her name because of a stutter)
-Vivian Johnson- mother, Bailey Johnson- father
-Bailey Johnson, Jr., older brother
-1931 parents divorce, lived with grandma in Stamps, Arkansas.
-grandma instilled pride in the kids
-Racist society, Angelou experienced racial discrimination
-Maya raped by mother’s boyfriendn at the age of 8; only told her brother, who told their uncle
-When the boyfriend was released, the uncle killed him
-Maya felt that her words had killed the man, went mute for five years
-Mrs. Flowers, a teacher and friend of her family, regained Maya’s confidence and helped her to speak again; introduced her to authors
-Scholarship to dance at California Labor School.
-Gave birth to first son, Guy, at age 16.
-Worked as waitress
-1949 married Greek man, marriage ended three years later
-1953 performed, received her name, Maya Angelou
-1957 Calypso Lady first record album
-1958 developed skills in writing poetry and joined Harlem Writers Guild in NY.
-1960 moved to Cairo, Egypt with her son. Married Mike
-1961 moved to Ghana, taught drama
-Mastered French, Spanish, Italian, Arabic, West African language Fanti
-Met Malcolm X in Ghana
-Malcolm X’s new Organization of African American Unity
-X is assassinated, end of organization
-1966- feature editor of African Review in Ghana
-1968 MLK assassinated on her birthday
-1970- I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings (popular)
-Georgia, Georgia- her screenplay. Nominated
-1975- appointed by President Jimmy Carter for National Commission of the Observance of International Woman’s Year
-1981 Wakeforce University, North Carolina
-Appeared on TV
-1983- named along 100 most influential women
-Received more than 30 honorary degrees
-1993- recited “On the Pulse of Morning” at inauguration of Bill Clinton
-Served on two presidential committees
-1996- first feature film, Down In The Delta
-Currently making $ by making stuff for Hallmark
-Oprah Winfrey’s mentor
-Lives in North Carolina
-Remarkable Renaissance woman
-Civil Rights Activist
Popular works
The Heart of a Woman 1981
Down in the Delta 1996
Just Give me a Cold Drink of Water Before I Die 1971
Still I Die 1978
Now Sheba Sings the Song 1987
I Shall Not Be Moved 1990
The Least of These 1996
Still I Rise 1996
A-Jax 1974
-Real name was Marguerite Annie Johnson
-After performance in 20’s, got name Maya Angelou(also from her brother who couldn’t pronounce her name because of a stutter)
-Vivian Johnson- mother, Bailey Johnson- father
-Bailey Johnson, Jr., older brother
-1931 parents divorce, lived with grandma in Stamps, Arkansas.
-grandma instilled pride in the kids
-Racist society, Angelou experienced racial discrimination
-Maya raped by mother’s boyfriendn at the age of 8; only told her brother, who told their uncle
-When the boyfriend was released, the uncle killed him
-Maya felt that her words had killed the man, went mute for five years
-Mrs. Flowers, a teacher and friend of her family, regained Maya’s confidence and helped her to speak again; introduced her to authors
-Scholarship to dance at California Labor School.
-Gave birth to first son, Guy, at age 16.
-Worked as waitress
-1949 married Greek man, marriage ended three years later
-1953 performed, received her name, Maya Angelou
-1957 Calypso Lady first record album
-1958 developed skills in writing poetry and joined Harlem Writers Guild in NY.
-1960 moved to Cairo, Egypt with her son. Married Mike
-1961 moved to Ghana, taught drama
-Mastered French, Spanish, Italian, Arabic, West African language Fanti
-Met Malcolm X in Ghana
-Malcolm X’s new Organization of African American Unity
-X is assassinated, end of organization
-1966- feature editor of African Review in Ghana
-1968 MLK assassinated on her birthday
-1970- I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings (popular)
-Georgia, Georgia- her screenplay. Nominated
-1975- appointed by President Jimmy Carter for National Commission of the Observance of International Woman’s Year
-1981 Wakeforce University, North Carolina
-Appeared on TV
-1983- named along 100 most influential women
-Received more than 30 honorary degrees
-1993- recited “On the Pulse of Morning” at inauguration of Bill Clinton
-Served on two presidential committees
-1996- first feature film, Down In The Delta
-Currently making $ by making stuff for Hallmark
-Oprah Winfrey’s mentor
-Lives in North Carolina
-Remarkable Renaissance woman
-Civil Rights Activist
Popular works
The Heart of a Woman 1981
Down in the Delta 1996
Just Give me a Cold Drink of Water Before I Die 1971
Still I Die 1978
Now Sheba Sings the Song 1987
I Shall Not Be Moved 1990
The Least of These 1996
Still I Rise 1996
A-Jax 1974