Last Updated: 14 Oct, 2023 | Views: 321
Age: 86
Profession: Poet
Other Profession(s): Writer, Civil Rights Activist, Memoirist
Famous For: I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings
About (Profile/Biography)
Maya Angelou was one of the greats. She wore many hats throughout her life, being an American poet, memoirist, and civil rights activist. As an African American woman she tackled themes of identity and race in her writing. Because of this, her autobiography “I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings,” is considered a classic. Her work has inspired many, and she has even delivered iconic speeches at events for figures such as President Bill Clinton’s inauguration. Unfortunately, she passed away in 2014.
Maya Angelou Career:
1940 - Maya Angelou moves to San Francisco and becomes the first black female streetcar conductor in the city.
1951 - Maya Angelou drops out of high school and becomes the first black female cable car conductor in San Francisco.
1954-1955 - Maya Angelou tours Europe as part of the opera production of Porgy and Bess.
1960 - Maya Angelou moves to Cairo, Egypt and becomes the editor of The Arab Observer.
1969 - Maya Angelou publishes her landmark autobiography, "I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings."
1972 - Maya Angelou writes the screenplay and score for the film "Georgia, Georgia," becoming the first black woman to do so.
1981 - Maya Angelou publishes "The Heart of a Woman," the fourth installment of her autobiography.
1993 - Maya Angelou reads her poem "On the Pulse of Morning" at President Bill Clinton's inauguration.
1995 - Maya Angelou publishes "Phenomenal Woman: Four Poems Celebrating Women," a collection of poems celebrating the strength and resilience of women.
Maya Angelou Awards:
National Book Award nomination for her first autobiography "I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings" (1970)
Pulitzer Prize nomination for her poetry collection "Just Give Me a Cool Drink of Water 'fore I Diiie" (1972)
Tony Award nomination for her role in the play "Look Away" (1973)
Ladies' Home Journal Woman of the Year award (1975)
Grammy Award for Best Spoken Word Album for "On the Pulse of Morning," her poem at President Bill Clinton's inauguration (1993)
National Medal of Arts (2000)
Presidential Medal of Freedom (2011)
Maya Angelou Facts:
Maya Angelou was also a civil rights activist and worked with both Martin Luther King Jr. and Malcolm X.
Maya Angelou wrote seven autobiographies, three books of essays, and several books of poetry.
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