Maya Angelou

American poet, memoirist, and civil rights activist (1928–2014)

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About

Maya Angelou, born Marguerite Annie Johnson in St. Louis, Missouri, is a major figure in American literature. Her groundbreaking autobiography, *I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings* (1969), was nominated for a National Book Award and became an international bestseller. She published seven autobiographies, including *Mom & Me & Mom* (2013). In 1993, she became the first African American woman to compose and deliver a poem at a U.S. presidential inauguration, with 'On the Pulse of Morning' for Bill Clinton. She received the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2011 and the National Medal of Arts in 2000. She also served as Northern Coordinator of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference for Martin Luther King Jr.

* 1928-04-04 — † 2014-05-28

Major works

  • I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings (1969)autobiography
  • Just Give Me a Cool Drink of Water 'fore I Diiie (1971)poetry
  • On the Pulse of Morning (1993)poem
  • Mom & Me & Mom (2013)autobiography

Key milestones

  • 1993First African American woman to compose and deliver a poem at a U.S. presidential inauguration.
  • 2011Awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the highest U.S. civilian honor.
  • 1982Awarded the first lifetime Reynolds Professorship of American Studies at Wake Forest University.

Themes

ResilienceIdentitySocial justiceAutobiographyHuman dignity

Sources: poetryfoundation.org · nationalbook.org · womenshistory.org