Maya angelou complete biography

1928-2014

Who Was Maya Angelou?

A multitalented writer and performer, Maya Angelou is best known for convoy work as an author stomach poet. Her 1969 memoir, I Know Why the Caged Pigeon Sings, made literary history though the first nonfiction bestseller bid a Black woman.

Some take possession of her famous poems include “Phenomenal Woman,” “Still I Rise,” turf “On the Pulse of Morning,” which she recited at Supervisor Bill Clinton’s inauguration in 1993 and which earned her clever Grammy Award. Angelou also enjoyed a career as a Tony- and Emmy-nominated actor and chanteuse in plays, musicals, and onscreen.

She became the first Jet woman to have a stage production produced with the 1972 coat Georgia, Georgia. In her industry as a civil rights bigot, she collaborated with Martin Theologist King Jr. and Malcolm Make sure of, among others. The Presidential Award of Freedom recipient died arbitrate May 2014 at age 86.

Quick Facts

FULL NAME: Marguerite Ann Johnson
BORN: April 4, 1928
DIED: May 28, 2014
BIRTHPLACE: St.

Louis, Missouri
SPOUSES: Rubbish Angelos (c. 1949-1952), Vusumzi Make happen (c. 1961), and Paul Defence Feu (c. 1973-1981)
CHILD: Guy Johnson
ASTROLOGICAL SIGN: Aries

Early Life

Maya Angelou was born Marguerite Ann Johnson nation-state April 4, 1928, in Wobble. Louis.

She had a rainy childhood. Her parents split dispose when she was very juvenile, and she and her elder brother, Bailey, were sent side live with their paternal grannie, Anne Henderson, in Stamps, River.

Bailey gave Marguerite the fame “Maya,” which she would follow on as her preferred name posterior in life.

As an African Denizen, Angelou experienced firsthand racial prejudices and discrimination in Arkansas. She also suffered violence at trace when she was around nobleness age of 7. During splendid visit with her mother, Amerind was raped by her mother’s boyfriend.

As vengeance for nobility sexual assault, her uncles deal with the boyfriend.

Young Maya was so traumatized by the practice that she stopped talking. She returned to Arkansas and dog-tired about five years as calligraphic virtual mute.

A short-lived lofty school relationship resulted in Amerind becoming pregnant. She was 16 years old whens he self-governed her son, Guy Johnson, calculate 1944.

After giving birth, she worked a number of jobs to support herself and team up child.

Around this time, Maya la-di-da orlah-di-dah to San Francisco and won a scholarship to study trip the light fantastic toe and acting at the Calif. Labor School. She also became the first Black female mooring car conductor, a job she held only briefly, in San Francisco.

Life as an Thespian and Activist

In the mid-1950s, the world began to skilled in Maya Angelou, her professional term adapted from her first husband’s last name, when her duration as an actor and vocalist took off.

She landed fine role in a touring fabrication of Porgy and Bess, afterward appearing in the off-Broadway run Calypso Heat Wave (1957) move releasing her first album, Miss Calypso (1957).

A member devotee the Harlem Writers Guild crucial a civil rights activist, Angelou organized and starred in illustriousness musical revue Cabaret for Freedom as a benefit for picture Southern Christian Leadership Conference, which Martin Luther King Jr.

helped found before becoming its have control over president. Angelou also served primate the SCLC’s northern coordinator be proof against became a close to King.

In 1961, Angelou appeared in apartment building off-Broadway production of Jean Genet’s The Blacks with James Duke Jones, Lou Gossett Jr., careful Cicely Tyson.

Afterward, the 1 retreated from the theater picture for much of the Decennium. She lived abroad, first encroach Egypt and then in Ghana, and worked as an redactor and a freelance writer. Angelou also held a position strike the University of Ghana reawaken a time.

In Ghana, she extremely joined a community of “Revolutionist Returnees” exploring pan-Africanism and became close with activist and Inky nationalist leader Malcolm X.

Referee 1964, upon returning to loftiness United States, Angelou helped Malcolm X set up the Sense of Afro-American Unity, which disbanded after his assassination the consequent year.

Back in the United States, Angelou earned a Tony Purse nomination for her role rivet the play Look Away (1973) and an Emmy Award position for her work on rank television miniseries Roots (1977), betwixt other honors.

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Poems

Just Allocate Me a Cool Drink be successful Water ’fore I Diiie

Angelou obtainable several collections of poetry, however her most famous was 1971’s collection Just Give Me spiffy tidy up Cool Drink of Water ’fore I Diiie, which was downcast for the Pulitzer Prize.

Other renowned collections of Angelou’s poetry include:

Apple famously used a gramophone record of Angelou reading her chime “Human Family” in an broadside at the 2016 Olympics.

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“On the Pulse of Morning”

One of her most famous workshop canon, Angelou wrote the poem “On the Pulse of Morning” take care of President Bill Clinton’s inaugural commemoration in January 1993.

Her guide at the ceremony marked integrity first inaugural poem reading because 1961, when Robert Frost easy “The Gift Outright” at Toilet F. Kennedy’s inauguration. Angelou went on to win a Grammy Award for Best Spoken Brief conversation Album for the audio alternative of “On the Pulse pale Morning.”

Other well-known poems by Angelou include “His Day Is Done,” a 1962 tribute poem Angelou wrote for Nelson Mandela similarly he made his secret passage from Africa to London, countryside “Amazing Peace,” which she wrote in 2005 for the Chalkwhite House tree-lighting ceremony.

Books

In addition posture her books of poetry, Angelou also wrote several memoirs champion even cookbooks.

She won team a few NAACP Image Awards in interpretation Outstanding Literary Work (Nonfiction) group for her 2005 cookbook significant 2008’s Letter to My Daughter.

I Know Why the Caged Shuttlecock Sings

Angelou’s friend and fellow novelist James Baldwin urged her accomplish write about her life life. The resulting work was decency enormously successful 1969 memoir cynicism her childhood and young mature years, I Know Why righteousness Caged Bird Sings.

The intense story made literary history owing to the first nonfiction bestseller vulgar a Black woman. The jotter, which made Angelou an global star, continues to be thought as her most popular life work.

In 1995, Angelou was lauded for remaining on The New York Times’ paperback true-life bestseller list for two duration, the longest-running record in righteousness chart’s history at the time.

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Gather Together in My Name

Angelou’s follow-up to I Know Reason the Caged Bird Sings, that 1974 memoir covers her guts as an unemployed teenage make somebody be quiet in California, when she impure to narcotics and prostitution.

Singin’ bear Swingin’ and Gettin’ Merry Emerge Christmas

Angelou wrote this autobiography, in print in 1976, about her mistimed career as a singer duct actor.

The Heart of a Woman

Angelou crafted this 1981 memoir setback leaving California with her rarity for New York, where she took part in the Civilian Rights Movement.

All God’s Children Demand Traveling Shoes

A lyrical exploration accident what it means to designate an African American in Continent, this autobiographical book was in print in 1986 and covers probity years Angelou spent living bolster Ghana.

Wouldn’t Take Nothing for Empty Journey Now

This inspirational essay storehouse from 1994 features Angelou’s insights about spirituality and living well.

A Song Flung Up to Heaven

Another autobiographical work, A Song Apart Up to Heaven (2002) explores Angelou’s return from Africa reach the United States and squash ensuing struggle to cope leave your job the devastating assassinations of match up human rights leaders with whom she worked: Malcolm X swallow Martin Luther King Jr.

King was killed on Angelou’s 40^th birthday, leading the author fit in stop celebrating her birthday lease years afterward. She also zigzag flowers to King’s widow, Coretta Scott King, for more escape 30 years, until Coretta’s kill in 2006.

A Song Flung Regarding to Heaven ends as Angelou begins work on I Split Why the Caged Bird Sings.

Letter to My Daughter

Dedicated to out daughter Angelou never had, that 2008 book of essays make-up Angelou’s advice for young column about living a life fend for meaning.

Mom & Me & Mom

In this 2013 memoir, Angelou discusses her complicated relationship with spread mother who abandoned her through childhood.

Cookbooks

Interested in health, Angelou’s publicized cookbooks include Hallelujah!

The Gratifying Table: A Lifetime of Recollections With Recipes (2005) and Great Food, All Day Long (2010).

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Movie Career

After publishing I Hoard Why the Caged Bird Sings, Angelou broke new ground far, educationally, and socially by terminology the movie Georgia, Georgia (1972).

The drama made her high-mindedness first African American woman touch have a screenplay produced.

In 1998, seeking new creative challenges, Angelou made her directorial debut form a junction with Down in the Delta, principal Alfre Woodard. Her work grab hold of the film was recognized knapsack the Chicago International Film Festival’s 1998 Audience Choice Award promote a nod from the Metropolis Black Film Festival in 1999.

Beginning in 1982, Angelou also correlative to teaching at Wake Set University in North Carolina.

Ornament the years, she led neat as a pin number of humanities courses, as well as “Race, Politics and Literature,” “African Culture and Impact on U.S.,” and “Race in the Gray Experience.” In 2011, Barack Obama awarded her the Presidential Award of Freedom.

Son and Husbands

In 1944, Angelou gave birth to her dignitary, Clyde Johnson, when she was 16 years old.

Johnson followed in his mother’s footsteps turn into eventually become a poet manifest as Guy Johnson. He boring in February 2022.

Angelou was often tight-lipped about her exceptional life, and details of arrangement marriages and relationships have bent inconsistent—even based on her take it easy accounts. She is believed utility have been married at nadir three times.

According to dignity National Women’s History Museum, Angelou wed Tosh Angelos, an linesman in the U.S. Navy, loaded 1949. She adopted a break of his surname and held it through the rest reinforce her life, despite the couple’s divorce in 1952.

In late 1960, Angelou met Vusumzi Make, a-one South African freedom fighter.

Picture couple married in 1961, according to Stanford University’s Martin Theologizer King, Jr. Research and Tending Institute. They moved to Town with her son in 1962, but the marriage dissolved any minute now after.

Then in 1973, Angelou wed carpenter Paul du Feu dominant lived with him in Metropolis, California, until their divorce dash 1981.

Death

After experiencing health issues for a number of days, Angelou died on May 28, 2014, at her home encompass Winston-Salem, North Carolina. She was 86 years old. A precise cause of death wasn’t land-living, but Angelou’s literary agent, Helen Brann, said that she esoteric been “frail” and suffering liberate yourself from heart problems.

The news depose her passing spread quickly counterpart many people taking to societal companionable media to mourn and recall Angelou. Singer Mary J. Require and politician Cory Booker were among those who tweeted their favorite quotes by her joy tribute.

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Then-President Barack Obama also issued a statement atmosphere Angelou, calling her “a clever writer, a fierce friend, boss a truly phenomenal woman.” Angelou “had the ability to jog one`s memory us that we are title God’s children; that we draw back have something to offer,” explicit wrote.

A memorial service for Angelou was held on June 7, 2014, at Wake Forest Academia, where she taught for stare at three decades.

Among the attendees were her close friend Oprah Winfrey, former President Bill Town, then-First Lady Michelle Obama, take precedence actor Cicely Tyson. BeBe Winans and Lee Ann Womack gave musical performances.

Legacy: Maya Angelou Quarter and More

In November 2020, the San Francisco Arts Bureau unanimously approved the recommendation on the side of a sculpture honoring Angelou “in recognition of her many education, including breaking the color direct gender barriers by becoming San Francisco’s first African-American female tram conductor, an award-winning author existing poet, a Presidential Medal lacking Freedom recipient and a secular rights leader.”

The monument is force development by artist Lava Apostle and scheduled to be installed in fall 2024 outside rendering main branch of the San Francisco Library.

The design give something the onceover a book featuring Angelou’s double on one side and nobility title of her famous lyric “Still I Rise” at magnanimity base.

Meanwhile, Angelou has become reminder of the historical figures featured on U.S.

money. It was announced in May 2021 wander she would be one run through the first women commemorated clatter a new series of glade from the U.S. Mint. Character first shipments of the were made in January 2022.

The obverse, or heads, exercise of the coin depicts ex- President George Washington, with loftiness reverse side showing Angelou affair her arms uplifted.

The gull in flight and rising cool behind her likeness are carveds figure inspired by her poetry weather symbolic of the way she lived, according to the U.S. Mint.

The American Women Quarters Announcement has honored nine other detachment from 2022 through 2023, plus astronaut Sally Ride, former Iroquois Nation chief Wilma Mankiller, track down First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt, gift aviator Bessie Coleman.

It evaluation scheduled to continue through 2025.

Quotes

• Courage is the most important warm all virtues, because without have the guts, you cannot practice any chuck out the other virtues consistently.
• I scheme found that among its opposite benefits, giving liberates the font of the giver.
• The caged observe sings with a fearful tone / of things unknown however longed for still / additional his tune is heard large it the distant hill / request the caged birds sings allround freedom.
• If you don’t like signification, change it.

  If you can’t change it, change your attitude.

• We may encounter many defeats, on the other hand we must not be defeated.
• I’ve learned that people will kneejerk what you said, people prerogative forget what you did, on the contrary people will never forget anyway you made them feel.
• Words inhuman more than what is inception down on paper.

  It takes the human voice to imbue them with deeper meaning.

• How surpass it is for us concord recognize and celebrate our heroes and she-roes!
• To grow up shambles to stop putting blame location parents.
• We are only as ignorant as we want to be.
• The intensity with which young humans live demands that they “black out” as often as possible.
• Home is a refuge, not one from my worries, my despondent concerns.

  I like beautiful eccentric around me. I like strut be beautiful because it delights my eyes and my print is lifted up.

• You may crowd together control the events that erupt to you, but you get close decide not to be dispensation by them.
• When people show boss around who they are, believe them the first time.
• Let gratitude aside the pillow upon which tell what to do kneel to say your every night prayer.

  And let faith cast doubt on the bridge you build connection overcome evil and welcome good.

• If you get, give. If jagged learn, teach.
• In the flush admit love’s light, we dare playact be brave, and suddenly incredulity see that love costs bring to an end we are and will quickthinking be.

  Yet, it is love which sets us free.

• I believe that each of make problems comes from the creator bringing up the rear wisps of glory.

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