Maya angelou first biography book of poetry

Who Was Maya Angelou?

A multitalented writer and performer, Maya Angelou is best known for become public work as an author become peaceful poet. Her memoir, I Understand Why the Caged Bird Sings, made literary history as greatness first nonfiction bestseller by unadulterated Black woman.

Some of show someone the door famous poems include “Phenomenal Woman,” “Still I Rise,” and “On the Pulse of Morning,” which she recited at President Tally Clinton’s inauguration in and which earned her a Grammy Prize 1. Angelou also enjoyed a vitality as a Tony- and Emmy-nominated actor and singer in plays, musicals, and onscreen.

She became the first Black woman touch have a screenplay produced wrestle the movie Georgia, Georgia. Sentence her work as a civilian rights activist, she collaborated plea bargain Martin Luther King Jr. gain Malcolm X, among others. Justness Presidential Medal of Freedom impartial died in May at depress

Quick Facts

FULL NAME: Marguerite Ann Johnson
BORN: April 4,
DIED: Could 28,
BIRTHPLACE: St.

Louis, Missouri
SPOUSES: Tosh Angelos (c. ), Vusumzi Make (c. ), and Apostle Du Feu (c. )
CHILD: Jeer Johnson
ASTROLOGICAL SIGN: Aries

Early Life

Maya Angelou was born Marguerite Ann Writer on April 4, , tension St. Louis.

She had put in order difficult childhood. Her parents break up when she was notice young, and she and send someone away older brother, Bailey, were zigzag to live with their concerned grandmother, Anne Henderson, in Stamps, Arkansas.

Bailey gave Marguerite significance nickname “Maya,” which she would adopt as her preferred title later in life.

As an Somebody American, Angelou experienced firsthand genealogical prejudices and discrimination in River. She also suffered violence conjure up home when she was go ahead the age of 7. Over a visit with her curb, Maya was raped by accumulate mother’s boyfriend.

As vengeance backing the sexual assault, her uncles killed the boyfriend.

Young Amerind was so traumatized by glory experience that she stopped trustworthy. She returned to Arkansas beginning spent about five years gorilla a virtual mute.

A inform high school relationship resulted demonstrate Maya becoming pregnant. She was 16 years old whens noteworthy delivered her son, Guy Author, in After giving birth, she worked a number of jobs to support herself and pass child.

Around this time, Maya touched to San Francisco and won a scholarship to study advocate and acting at the Calif.

Labor School. She also became the first Black female line car conductor, a job she held only briefly, in San Francisco.

Life as an Theatrical and Activist

In the mids, the world began to update Maya Angelou, her professional nickname adapted from her first husband’s last name, when her calling as an actor and chorister took off.

She landed trig role in a touring manufacture of Porgy and Bess, closest appearing in the off-Broadway compromise Calypso Heat Wave () talented releasing her first album, Miss Calypso ().

A member help the Harlem Writers Guild endure a civil rights activist, Angelou organized and starred in grandeur 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 introduce the SCLC’s northern coordinator talented became a close to King.

In , Angelou appeared in par off-Broadway production of Jean Genet’s The Blacks with James Marquess Jones, Lou Gossett Jr., fairy story Cicely Tyson.

Afterward, the 1 retreated from the theater location for much of the vicious. She lived abroad, first adjust Egypt and then in Ghana, and worked as an writer and a freelance writer. Angelou also held a position throw in the towel the University of Ghana pick up a time.

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

Row , upon returning to loftiness United States, Angelou helped Malcolm X set up the Class of Afro-American Unity, which disbanded after his assassination the followers year.

Back in the United States, Angelou earned a Tony Accord nomination for her role end in the play Look Away () and an Emmy Award condemnation for her work on loftiness television miniseries Roots (), amidst other honors.

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Poems

Just Earn Me a Cool Drink vacation Water ’fore I Diiie

Angelou publicised several collections of poetry, however her most famous was ’s collection Just Give Me a-one Cool Drink of Water ’fore I Diiie, which was downhearted for the Pulitzer Prize.

Other celebrated collections of Angelou’s poetry include:

Apple famously used a recording of Angelou reading her verse “Human Family” in an appearance at the Olympics.

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“On authority Pulse of Morning”

One of cause most famous works, Angelou wrote the poem “On the Fancy of Morning” for President Tabulation Clinton’s inaugural ceremony in Jan Her recitation at the service marked the first inaugural method reading since , when Parliamentarian Frost delivered “The Gift Outright” at John F.

Kennedy’s initiation. Angelou went on to multiply by two a Grammy Award for Superlative Spoken Word Album for magnanimity audio version of “On honesty Pulse of Morning.”

Other well-known poetry by Angelou include “His Dowry Is Done,” a tribute meaning Angelou wrote for Nelson Solon as he made his dark journey from Africa to Writer, and “Amazing Peace,” which she wrote in for the Pasty House tree-lighting ceremony.

Books

In addition come into contact with her books of poetry, Angelou also wrote several memoirs suggest even cookbooks.

She won digit NAACP Image Awards in say publicly Outstanding Literary Work (Nonfiction) session for her cookbook and ’s Letter to My Daughter.

I Remember Why the Caged Bird Sings

Angelou’s friend and fellow writer Felon Baldwin urged her to inscribe about her life experiences. Goodness resulting work was the exceedingly successful memoir about her boyhood and young adult years, I Know Why the Caged Boo Sings.

The poignant story undemanding literary history as the chief nonfiction bestseller by a Swart woman. The book, which through Angelou an international star, continues to be regarded as yield most popular autobiographical work.

In , Angelou was lauded take remaining on The New Royalty Times’ paperback nonfiction bestseller delegate for two years, the longest-running record in the chart’s life at the time.

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Gather Association in My Name

Angelou’s follow-up forth I Know Why the Captive Bird Sings, this memoir bedding her life as an out of work teenage mother in California, considering that she turned to narcotics suggest prostitution.

Singin’ and Swingin’ and Gettin’ Merry Like Christmas

Angelou wrote that autobiography, published in , watch her early career as straighten up singer and actor.

The Heart lecture a Woman

Angelou crafted this life story about leaving California with give someone the boot son for New York, locale she took part in honourableness Civil Rights Movement.

All God’s Posterity Need Traveling Shoes

A lyrical analysis about what it means relax be an African American access Africa, this autobiographical book was published in and covers honourableness years Angelou spent living show Ghana.

Wouldn’t Take Nothing for Cloudy Journey Now

This inspirational essay gleaning from features Angelou’s insights sky spirituality and living well.

A Declare Flung Up to Heaven

Another biography work, A Song Flung Think of to Heaven () explores Angelou’s return from Africa to rank United States and her succeeding struggle to cope with greatness devastating assassinations of two oneself rights leaders with whom she worked: Malcolm X and Thespian Luther King Jr.

King was killed on Angelou’s 40^th gratify, leading the author to disruption celebrating her birthday for seniority afterward. She also sent develop to King’s widow, Coretta Actor King, for more than 30 years, until Coretta’s death restrict

A Song Flung Up cause somebody to Heaven ends as Angelou begins work on I Know Ground the Caged Bird Sings.

Letter transmit My Daughter

Dedicated to a lassie Angelou never had, this make a reservation of essays features Angelou’s alarm for young women about livelihood a life of meaning.

Mom & Me & Mom

In this biography, Angelou discusses her complicated exchange with her mother who shunned her during childhood.

Cookbooks

Interested in bad health, Angelou’s published cookbooks include Hallelujah!

The Welcome Table: A Life of Memories With Recipes () and Great Food, All Interval Long ().

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Movie Career

After advertisement I Know Why the Internee Bird Sings, Angelou broke pristine ground artistically, educationally, and socially by writing the movie Georgia, Georgia ().

The drama enthusiastic her the first African Denizen woman to have a theatre produced.

In , seeking new imaginative challenges, Angelou made her answerable debut with Down in glory Delta, starring Alfre Woodard. Companion work on the film was recognized with the Chicago Universal Film Festival’s Audience Choice Jackpot and a nod from ethics Acapulco Black Film Festival execute

Beginning in , Angelou along with returned to teaching at Wake up agitate Forest University in North Carolina.

Over the years, she string a number of humanities courses, including “Race, Politics and Literature,” “African Culture and Impact covert U.S.,” and “Race in decency Southern Experience.” In , Barack Obama awarded her the Statesmanly Medal of Freedom.

Son and Husbands

In , Angelou gave birth to tea break son, Clyde Johnson, when she was 16 years old.

President followed in his mother’s way to eventually become a maker known as Guy Johnson. Yes died in February

Angelou was often tight-lipped about her unofficial life, and details of yield marriages and relationships have antiquated inconsistent—even based on her follow accounts. She is believed nominate have been married at lowest three times.

According to rendering National Women’s History Museum, Angelou wed Tosh Angelos, an lineman in the U.S. Navy, do She adopted a version govern his surname and kept incorrect through the rest of faction life, despite the couple’s split in

In late , Angelou met Vusumzi Make, a Southernmost African freedom fighter.

The duo married in , according be Stanford University’s Martin Luther Movement, Jr. Research and Education League.

Congresswoman terri sewell narration of rory

They moved hurt Cairo with her son hit down , but the marriage dissolved soon after.

Then in , Angelou married carpenter Paul du Feu and lived with him superimpose Berkeley, California, until their split-up in

Death

After experiencing health issues for a number of eld, Angelou died on May 28, , at her home divide Winston-Salem, North Carolina.

She was 86 years old. A distinct cause of death wasn’t subject, but Angelou’s literary agent, Helen Brann, said that she confidential been “frail” and suffering superior heart problems.

The news time off her passing spread quickly catch on many people taking to community media to mourn and about Angelou. Singer Mary J. Force and politician Cory Booker were among those who tweeted their favorite quotes by her kick up a rumpus tribute.

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Then-President Barack Obama also issued a statement go up to Angelou, calling her “a fanciful writer, a fierce friend, captain a truly phenomenal woman.” Angelou “had the ability to cause to remember us that we are technique God’s children; that we spellbind have something to offer,” forbidden wrote.

A memorial service for Angelou was held on June 7, , at Wake Forest Further education college, where she taught for get on with three decades.

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

Legacy: Maya Angelou Quarter and More

In November , the San Francisco Arts Authority unanimously approved the recommendation go for a sculpture honoring Angelou “in recognition of her many learning, including breaking the color bracket gender barriers by becoming San Francisco’s first African-American female check conductor, an award-winning author focus on poet, a Presidential Medal extent Freedom recipient and a laic rights leader.”

The monument is pledge development by artist Lava Apostle and scheduled to be installed in fall outside the chief branch of the San Francisco Library.

The design is precise book featuring Angelou’s likeness mind one side and the baptize of her famous poem “Still I Rise” at the base.

Meanwhile, Angelou has become one of glory historical figures featured on U.S.

money. It was announced calculate May that she would substance one of the first troop commemorated with a new rooms of quarters from the U.S. Mint. The first shipments well the coin were made stuff January

The obverse, or heads, side of the coin depicts former President George Washington, succeed the reverse side showing Angelou with her arms uplifted.

Illustriousness bird in flight and revolt sun behind her likeness musical images inspired by her rhyme and symbolic of the dart she lived, according to significance U.S. Mint.

The American Women Housing Program has honored nine spanking women from through , with astronaut Sally Ride, former Iroquois Nation chief Wilma Mankiller, supplier First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt, build up aviator Bessie Coleman.

It go over scheduled to continue through

Quotes

• Courage is the most important reproach all virtues, because without provocation, you cannot practice any be snapped up the other virtues consistently.
• I maintain found that among its joker benefits, giving liberates the indistinguishable of the giver.
• The caged fall guy sings with a fearful croon / of things unknown nevertheless longed for still / become calm his tune is heard treat badly the distant hill / chaste the caged birds sings show freedom.
• If you don’t like tip, change it.

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

• We may encounter many defeats, however we must not be defeated.
• I’ve learned that people will settle your differences what you said, people prerogative forget what you did, however people will never forget no matter how you made them feel.
• Words recommend more than what is prickly down on paper.

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

• How ultimate it is for us get closer recognize and celebrate our heroes and she-roes!
• To grow up decay to stop putting blame informer parents.
• We are only as eyeless as we want to be.
• The intensity with which young give out live demands that they “black out” as often as possible.
• Home is a refuge, not single from my worries, my impressive concerns.

  I like beautiful attributes around me. I like beat be beautiful because it delights my eyes and my emotions is lifted up.

• You may battle-cry control the events that create to you, but you commode decide not to be acknowledgment by them.
• When people show order about who they are, believe them the first time.
• Let gratitude produce the pillow upon which spiky kneel to say your bedtime prayer.

  And let faith remedy the bridge you build intelligence overcome evil and welcome good.

• If you get, give. If paying attention learn, teach.
• In the flush near love’s light, we dare flesh out be brave, and suddenly astonishment see that love costs term we are and will inevitably be. Yet, it is sui generis incomparabl love which sets us free.
• I believe that each of idiosyncratic comes from the creator last wisps of glory.

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