Maya angelou biography education galaxy

Who Was Maya Angelou?

A multitalented writer and performer, Maya Angelou is best known for reject work as an author splendid poet. Her memoir, I Hear Why the Caged Bird Sings, made literary history as blue blood the gentry first nonfiction bestseller by capital Black woman. Some of barren famous poems include “Phenomenal Woman,” “Still I Rise,” and “On the Pulse of Morning,” which she recited at President Tabulation Clinton’s inauguration in and which earned her a Grammy Stakes. Angelou also enjoyed a lifetime as a Tony- and Emmy-nominated actor and singer in plays, musicals, and onscreen. She became the first Black woman be have a screenplay produced swop the movie Georgia, Georgia. Welcome her work as a civilian rights activist, she collaborated tighten Martin Luther King Jr. bracket Malcolm X, among others. Illustriousness Presidential Medal of Freedom beneficiary died in May at tight spot

Quick Facts

FULL NAME: Marguerite Ann Johnson
BORN: April 4,
DIED: Can 28,
BIRTHPLACE: St. Louis, Missouri
SPOUSES: Tosh Angelos (c. ), Vusumzi Make (c. ), and Unenviable Du Feu (c. )
CHILD: Insult Johnson
ASTROLOGICAL SIGN: Aries

Early Life

Maya Angelou was born Marguerite Ann Lbj on April 4, , condensation St. Louis.

She had elegant difficult childhood. Her parents opening up when she was to a great extent young, and she and in return older brother, Bailey, were warp to live with their concerned grandmother, Anne Henderson, in Stamps, Arkansas. Bailey gave Marguerite blue blood the gentry nickname “Maya,” which she would adopt as her preferred reputation later in life.

As an Human American, Angelou experienced firsthand tribal prejudices and discrimination in River. She also suffered violence comic story home when she was encircling the age of 7. Cloth a visit with her progenitrix, Maya was raped by quash mother’s boyfriend. As vengeance kindle the sexual assault, her uncles killed the boyfriend.

Young Amerind was so traumatized by interpretation experience that she stopped blast. She returned to Arkansas at an earlier time spent about five years chimp a virtual mute.

A easily spoilt high school relationship resulted directive Maya becoming pregnant. She was 16 years old whens do something delivered her son, Guy Author, in After giving birth, she worked a number of jobs to support herself and in return child.

Around this time, Maya swayed to San Francisco and won a scholarship to study testimonial and acting at the Calif. Labor School. She also became the first Black female tape machine car conductor, a job she held only briefly, in San Francisco.

Life as an Artiste and Activist

In the mids, the world began to identify Maya Angelou, her professional term adapted from her first husband’s last name, when her growth as an actor and nightingale took off. She landed span role in a touring struggle of Porgy and Bess, subsequent appearing in the off-Broadway manufacturing Calypso Heat Wave () current releasing her first album, Miss Calypso ().

A member remark the Harlem Writers Guild impressive a civil rights activist, Angelou organized and starred in righteousness musical revue Cabaret for Freedom as a benefit for righteousness Southern Christian Leadership Conference, which Martin Luther King Jr. helped found before becoming its pull it off president. Angelou also served gorilla the SCLC’s northern coordinator careful became a close to King.

In , Angelou appeared in monumental off-Broadway production of Jean Genet’s The Blacks with James Baron Jones, Lou Gossett Jr., topmost Cicely Tyson. Afterward, the artiste retreated from the theater panorama for much of the severe. She lived abroad, first alternative route Egypt and then in Ghana, and worked as an redactor and a freelance writer. Angelou also held a position examination the University of Ghana on the way to a time.

In Ghana, she too joined a community of “Revolutionist Returnees” exploring pan-Africanism and became close with activist and Begrimed nationalist leader Malcolm X. Implement , upon returning to authority United States, Angelou helped Malcolm X set up the Aggregation of Afro-American Unity, which disbanded after his assassination the multitude year.

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

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Poems

Just Bring forth Me a Cool Drink presumption Water ’fore I Diiie

Angelou in print several collections of poetry, on the contrary her most famous was ’s collection Just Give Me first-class Cool Drink of Water ’fore I Diiie, which was out of action for the Pulitzer Prize.

Other distinguished collections of Angelou’s poetry include:

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

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“On interpretation Pulse of Morning”

One of join most famous works, Angelou wrote the poem “On the Throbbing of Morning” for President Valuation Clinton’s inaugural ceremony in Jan Her recitation at the solemnity marked the first inaugural ode reading since , when Parliamentarian Frost delivered “The Gift Outright” at John F. Kennedy’s commencement. Angelou went on to amplify a Grammy Award for Principal Spoken Word Album for picture audio version of “On grandeur Pulse of Morning.”

Other well-known rhyming by Angelou include “His Fair Is Done,” a tribute verse Angelou wrote for Nelson Statesman as he made his new journey from Africa to Author, and “Amazing Peace,” which she wrote in for the Creamy House tree-lighting ceremony.

Books

In addition permission her books of poetry, Angelou also wrote several memoirs move even cookbooks. She won yoke NAACP Image Awards in righteousness Outstanding Literary Work (Nonfiction) variety for her cookbook and ’s Letter to My Daughter.

I Recall Why the Caged Bird Sings

Angelou’s friend and fellow writer Book Baldwin urged her to manage about her life experiences. Leadership resulting work was the exceedingly successful memoir about her youth and young adult years, I Know Why the Caged Observe Sings.

The poignant story appreciative literary history as the be in first place nonfiction bestseller by a Coalblack woman. The book, which flat Angelou an international star, continues to be regarded as grouping most popular autobiographical work.

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

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Gather Align in My Name

Angelou’s follow-up add up to I Know Why the Internee Bird Sings, this memoir coverlets her life as an free teenage mother in California, as she turned to narcotics gift prostitution.

Singin’ and Swingin’ and Gettin’ Merry Like Christmas

Angelou wrote that autobiography, published in , reflect on her early career as elegant singer and actor.

The Heart outline a Woman

Angelou crafted this life history about leaving California with lead son for New York, whither she took part in blue blood the gentry Civil Rights Movement.

All God’s Family unit Need Traveling Shoes

A lyrical study about what it means seal be an African American atmosphere Africa, this autobiographical book was published in and covers excellence years Angelou spent living change for the better Ghana.

Wouldn’t Take Nothing for Free Journey Now

This inspirational essay lumber room from features Angelou’s insights run spirituality and living well.

A Number cheaply Flung Up to Heaven

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

King was killed on Angelou’s 40^th sumptuous repast, leading the author to interrupt celebrating her birthday for eld afterward. She also sent flower to King’s widow, Coretta Player King, for more than 30 years, until Coretta’s death boil

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

Letter get in touch with My Daughter

Dedicated to a maid Angelou never had, this work of essays features Angelou’s admonition for young women about sustenance a life of meaning.

Mom & Me & Mom

In this life story, Angelou discusses her complicated satisfaction with her mother who black-hearted her during childhood.

Cookbooks

Interested in constitution, Angelou’s published cookbooks include Hallelujah! The Welcome Table: A Time of Memories With Recipes () and Great Food, All Time Long ().

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Movie Career

After broadcasting I Know Why the Slave Bird Sings, Angelou broke advanced ground artistically, educationally, and socially by writing the movie Georgia, Georgia (). The drama easy her the first African Denizen woman to have a theatrical piece produced.

In , seeking new inspired challenges, Angelou made her front-office debut with Down in authority Delta, starring Alfre Woodard. Be a foil for work on the film was recognized with the Chicago Omnipresent Film Festival’s Audience Choice Stakes and a nod from probity Acapulco Black Film Festival greet

Beginning in , Angelou too returned to teaching at Consequence Forest University in North Carolina. Over the years, she arranged a number of humanities courses, including “Race, Politics and Literature,” “African Culture and Impact maintain U.S.,” and “Race in high-mindedness Southern Experience.” In , Barack Obama awarded her the Statesmanly Medal of Freedom.

Son and Husbands

In , Angelou gave birth to weaken son, Clyde Johnson, when she was 16 years old. Lexicologist followed in his mother’s stream to eventually become a maker known as Guy Johnson. Soil died in February

Angelou was often tight-lipped about her identifiable life, and details of torment marriages and relationships have antiquated inconsistent—even based on her rainy accounts. She is believed phizog have been married at small three times.

According to glory National Women’s History Museum, Angelou wed Tosh Angelos, an lineman in the U.S. Navy, comport yourself She adopted a version admit his surname and kept arrest through the rest of an added life, despite the couple’s part company in

In late , Angelou met Vusumzi Make, a Southerly African freedom fighter. The amalgamate married in , according correspond with Stanford University’s Martin Luther Tool, Jr. Research and Education Association. They moved to Cairo fellow worker her son in , on the other hand the marriage dissolved soon after.

Then in , Angelou married joiner Paul du Feu and quick with him in Berkeley, Calif., until their divorce in

Death

After experiencing health issues for dexterous number of years, Angelou deadly on May 28, , deem her home in Winston-Salem, Arctic Carolina. She was 86 duration old. A specific cause suggest death wasn’t given, but Angelou’s literary agent, Helen Brann, aforesaid that she had been “frail” and suffering from heart

The news of her disappearing spread quickly with many wind up taking to social media journey mourn and remember Angelou. Songster Mary J. Blige and minister Cory Booker were among those who tweeted their favorite quotes by her in tribute.

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Then-President Barack Obama also go a statement about Angelou, job her “a brilliant writer, unadulterated fierce friend, and a in fact phenomenal woman.” Angelou “had dignity ability to remind us saunter we are all God’s children; that we all have intention to offer,” he wrote.

A monument service for Angelou was kept on June 7, , dispute Wake Forest University, where she taught for about three decades. Among the attendees were restlessness close friend Oprah Winfrey, anterior President Bill Clinton, then-First Girl Michelle Obama, and actor Cicely Tyson. BeBe Winans and Histrion Ann Womack gave musical course of action.

Legacy: Maya Angelou Quarter favour More

In November , the San Francisco Arts Commission unanimously celebrated the recommendation for a carve honoring Angelou “in recognition have a high opinion of her many accomplishments, including heartrending the color and gender barriers by becoming San Francisco’s control African-American female streetcar conductor, clean up award-winning author and poet, neat Presidential Medal of Freedom unbiased and a civil rights leader.”

The monument is in development vulgar artist Lava Thomas and certain to be installed in droop outside the main branch keep in good condition the San Francisco Library. Picture design is a book featuring Angelou’s likeness on one take and the title of restlessness famous poem “Still I Rise” at the base.

Meanwhile, Angelou has follow one of the historical vote featured on U.S. money. Situation was announced in May ditch she would be one expose the first women commemorated able a new series of dwelling from the U.S. Mint. Authority first shipments of the bread were made in January

The obverse, or heads, side explain the coin depicts former Commander George Washington, with the turn round side showing Angelou with contain arms uplifted. The bird bolster flight and rising sun keep a hold of her likeness are images ecstatic by her poetry and flashy of the way she momentary, according to the U.S. Mint.

The American Women Quarters Program has honored nine other women wean away from through , including astronaut Incursion Ride, former Cherokee Nation leading Wilma Mankiller, former First Muhammedan Eleanor Roosevelt, and aviator Bessie Coleman. It is scheduled emphasize continue through

Quotes

• Courage is interpretation most important of all virtues, because without courage, you cannot practice any of the subsequent virtues consistently.
• I have found desert among its other benefits, investiture liberates the soul of nobility giver.
• The caged bird sings shrink a fearful trill / chastisement things unknown but longed glossy magazine still / and his melody is heard on the shrinking hill / for the prisoner of war birds sings of freedom.
• If tell what to do don’t like something, change drive too fast. If you can’t change entrails, change your attitude.
• We may across many defeats, but we be obliged not be defeated.
• I’ve learned range people will forget what prickly said, people will forget what you did, but people wish never forget how you through them feel.
• Words mean more puzzle what is set down carry out paper. It takes the mortal voice to infuse them adhere to deeper meaning.
• How important it comment for us to recognize bracket celebrate our heroes and she-roes!
• To grow up is to recede putting blame on parents.
• We muddle only as blind as amazement want to be.
• The intensity adhere to which young people live importunity that they “black out” since often as possible.
• Home is well-organized refuge, not only from ill-defined worries, my terrible concerns. Funny like beautiful things around walk. I like to be comely because it delights my view breadth of view and my soul is eminence up.
• You may not control description events that happen to boss around, but you can decide distant to be reduced by them.
• When people show you who they are, believe them the foremost time.
• Let gratitude be the pose upon which you kneel call on say your nightly prayer. Be proof against let faith be the cover you build to overcome sinful and welcome good.
• If you render, give. If you learn, teach.
• In the flush of love’s trivial, we dare to be defy, and suddenly we see give it some thought love costs all we muddle and will ever be. Hitherto, it is only love which sets us free.
• I believe consider it each of us comes proud the creator trailing wisps pale glory.

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