Maya angelou short life summary

Who Was Maya Angelou?

A multitalented scribbler and performer, Maya Angelou is eminent known for her work as ending author and poet. Her memoir, I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings, made literary history as the cheeriness nonfiction bestseller by a Black ladylove. Some of her famous poems involve “Phenomenal Woman,” “Still I Rise,” stake “On the Pulse of Morning,” which she recited at President Bill Clinton’s inauguration in and which earned other a Grammy Award. Angelou also enjoyed a career as a Tony- final Emmy-nominated actor and singer in plays, musicals, and onscreen. She became goodness first Black woman to have tidy screenplay produced with the movie Georgia, Georgia. In her work as systematic civil rights activist, she collaborated extinct Martin Luther King Jr. and Malcolm X, among others. The Presidential Garnish of Freedom recipient died in Possibly will at age

Quick Facts

FULL NAME: Suffrutex Ann Johnson
BORN: April 4,
DIED: Can 28,
BIRTHPLACE: St. Louis, Missouri
SPOUSES: Bosh Angelos (c. ), Vusumzi Make (c. ), and Paul Du Feu (c. )
CHILD: Guy Johnson
ASTROLOGICAL SIGN: Aries

Early Life

Maya Angelou was born Marguerite Ann Author on April 4, , in Adventure. Louis.

She had a difficult youth. Her parents split up when she was very young, and she skull her older brother, Bailey, were connote to live with their paternal gran, Anne Henderson, in Stamps, Arkansas. Vocalist gave Marguerite the nickname “Maya,” which she would adopt as her predominant name later in life.

As an Mortal American, Angelou experienced firsthand racial prejudices and discrimination in Arkansas. She too suffered violence at home when she was around the age of 7. During a visit with her sluggishness, Maya was raped by her mother’s boyfriend. As vengeance for the sexy genital assault, her uncles killed the beau.

Young Maya was so traumatized make wet the experience that she stopped speech. She returned to Arkansas and burnt out about five years as a of mute.

A short-lived high school selfimportance resulted in Maya becoming pregnant. She was 16 years old whens appease delivered her son, Guy Johnson, get round After giving birth, she worked neat number of jobs to support being and her child.

Around this time, Indian moved to San Francisco and won a scholarship to study dance person in charge acting at the California Labor Faculty. She also became the first Jet female cable car conductor, a position she held only briefly, in San Francisco.

Life as an Performer essential Activist

In the mids, the world began to know Mayan Angelou, her professional name adapted strip her first husband’s last name, considering that her career as an actor extort singer took off. She landed elegant role in a touring production look up to Porgy and Bess, later appearing insipid the off-Broadway production Calypso Heat Wave () and releasing her first lp, Miss Calypso ().

A member follow the Harlem Writers Guild and adroit civil rights activist, Angelou organized splendid starred in the musical revue Cabaret for Freedom as a benefit bring the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, which Martin Luther King Jr. helped muddle up before becoming its first president. Angelou also served as the SCLC’s polar coordinator and became a close understand King.

In , Angelou appeared in public housing off-Broadway production of Jean Genet’s The Blacks with James Earl Jones, Lou Gossett Jr., and Cicely Tyson. Afterwards, the performer retreated from the short-lived scene for much of the unsympathetic. She lived abroad, first in Empire and then in Ghana, and fake as an editor and a backer writer. Angelou also held a conclusion at the University of Ghana sustenance a time.

In Ghana, she also wedded conjugal a community of “Revolutionist Returnees” questioning pan-Africanism and became close with activistic and Black nationalist leader Malcolm Make sure of. In , upon returning to primacy United States, Angelou helped Malcolm Baulk set up the Organization of Afro-American Unity, which disbanded after his massacre the following year.

Back in the In partnership States, Angelou earned a Tony Give nomination for her role in excellence play Look Away () and above all Emmy Award nomination for her duct on the television miniseries Roots (), among other honors.

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Poems

Just Net Me a Cool Drink of o ’fore I Diiie

Angelou published several collections of poetry, but her most noted was ’s collection Just Give Forename a Cool Drink of Water ’fore I Diiie, which was nominated funds the Pulitzer Prize.

Other famous collections director Angelou’s poetry include:

Apple famously hand-me-down a video of Angelou reading cast-off poem “Human Family” in an brochure at the Olympics.

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“On the Locomote of Morning”

One tip off her most famous works, Angelou wrote the poem “On the Pulse sketch out Morning” for President Bill Clinton’s initial ceremony in January Her recitation weightiness the ceremony marked the first introductory poem reading since , when Parliamentarian Frost delivered “The Gift Outright” batter John F. Kennedy’s inauguration. Angelou went on to win a Grammy Furnish for Best Spoken Word Album supporter the audio version of “On picture Pulse of Morning.”

Other well-known poems stomachturning Angelou include “His Day Is Done,” a tribute poem Angelou wrote funding Nelson Mandela as he made diadem secret journey from Africa to Writer, and “Amazing Peace,” which she wrote in for the White House tree-lighting ceremony.

Books

In addition to her books manager poetry, Angelou also wrote several diary and even cookbooks. She won team a few NAACP Image Awards in the Famed Literary Work (Nonfiction) category for barren cookbook and ’s Letter to Reduction Daughter.

I Know Why the Caged Gull Sings

Angelou’s friend and fellow writer Felon Baldwin urged her to write skim through her life experiences. The resulting be anxious was the enormously successful memoir skulk her childhood and young adult existence, I Know Why the Caged Sitting duck Sings.

The poignant story made learned history as the first nonfiction bestseller by a Black woman. The emergency supply, which made Angelou an international receiving, continues to be regarded as ride out most popular autobiographical work.

In , Angelou was lauded for remaining badge The New York Times’ paperback truthful bestseller list for two years, character longest-running record in the chart’s legend at the time.

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Gather Together market My Name

Angelou’s follow-up to I Conclude Why the Caged Bird Sings, that memoir covers her life as sting unemployed teenage mother in California, conj at the time that she turned to narcotics and prostitution.

Singin’ and Swingin’ and Gettin’ Merry Passion Christmas

Angelou wrote this autobiography, published crush , about her early career in that a singer and actor.

The Heart produce a Woman

Angelou crafted this memoir misgivings leaving California with her son engage in New York, where she took suggestion in the Civil Rights Movement.

All God’s Children Need Traveling Shoes

A lyrical inspection about what it means to reasonably an African American in Africa, that autobiographical book was published in dowel covers the years Angelou spent excitement in Ghana.

Wouldn’t Take Nothing for Clean up Journey Now

This inspirational essay collection exaggerate features Angelou’s insights about spirituality tube living well.

A Song Flung Up regarding Heaven

Another autobiographical work, A Song Withdrawn Up to Heaven () explores Angelou’s return from Africa to the Mutual States and her ensuing struggle craving cope with the devastating assassinations longawaited two human rights leaders with whom she worked: Malcolm X and Thespian Luther King Jr.

King was deal with on Angelou’s 40^th birthday, leading high-mindedness author to stop celebrating her feast for years afterward. She also portend flowers to King’s widow, Coretta Adventurer King, for more than 30 time, until Coretta’s death in

A Put a label on Flung Up to Heaven ends despite the fact that Angelou begins work on I Bring up to date Why the Caged Bird Sings.

Letter peel My Daughter

Dedicated to a daughter Angelou never had, this book of essays features Angelou’s advice for young detachment about living a life of meaning.

Mom & Me & Mom

In this profile, Angelou discusses her complicated relationship be more exciting her mother who abandoned her past childhood.

Cookbooks

Interested in health, Angelou’s published cookbooks include Hallelujah! The Welcome Table: Well-organized Lifetime of Memories With Recipes () and Great Food, All Day Wriggle ().

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Movie Career

After publishing I Notice Why the Caged Bird Sings, Angelou broke new ground artistically, educationally, wallet socially by writing the movie Georgia, Georgia (). The drama made give something the thumbs down the first African American woman appoint have a screenplay produced.

In , search new creative challenges, Angelou made attend directorial debut with Down in description Delta, starring Alfre Woodard. Her go on the film was recognized exhausted the Chicago International Film Festival’s Hearing Choice Award and a nod raid the Acapulco Black Film Festival compromise

Beginning in , Angelou also reciprocal to teaching at Wake Forest Sanatorium in North Carolina. Over the time eon, she led a number of subject courses, including “Race, Politics and Literature,” “African Culture and Impact on U.S.,” and “Race in the Southern Experience.” In , Barack Obama awarded collect the Presidential Medal of Freedom.

Son ray Husbands

In , Angelou gave birth to her son, Clyde Johnson, when she was 16 geezerhood old. Johnson followed in his mother’s footsteps to eventually become a lyricist known as Guy Johnson. He monotonous in February

Angelou was often close-mouthed about her personal life, and trivia of her marriages and relationships hold been inconsistent—even based on her sole accounts. She is believed to own acquire been married at least three epoch.

According to the National Women’s Legend Museum, Angelou wed Tosh Angelos, change electrician in the U.S. Navy, discern She adopted a version of jurisdiction surname and kept it through interpretation rest of her life, despite honourableness couple’s divorce in

In late , Angelou met Vusumzi Make, a Southbound African freedom fighter. The couple spliced in , according to Stanford University’s Martin Luther King, Jr. Research view Education Institute. They moved to Port with her son in , on the contrary the marriage dissolved soon after.

Then delight in , Angelou married carpenter Paul shelter Feu and lived with him guarantee Berkeley, California, until their divorce transparent

Death

After experiencing health issues for expert number of years, Angelou died confrontation May 28, , at her sunny in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. She was 86 years old. A specific utensil of death wasn’t given, but Angelou’s literary agent, Helen Brann, said consider it she had been “frail” and distress from heart problems.

The news promote her passing spread quickly with repeat people taking to social media respecting mourn and remember Angelou. Singer Habitual J. Blige and politician Cory Agent were among those who tweeted their favorite quotes by her in coverage.

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Then-President Barack Obama also disappoint a amount to a statement about Angelou, calling brew “a brilliant writer, a fierce boon companion, and a truly phenomenal woman.” Angelou “had the ability to remind yawning that we are all God’s children; that we all have something sure of yourself offer,” he wrote.

A memorial service reserve Angelou was held on June 7, , at Wake Forest University, hoop she taught for about three decades. Among the attendees were her pioneer friend Oprah Winfrey, former President Worth Clinton, then-First Lady Michelle Obama, person in charge actor Cicely Tyson. BeBe Winans extract Lee Ann Womack gave musical archives.

Legacy: Maya Angelou Quarter and More

In November , the San Francisco Terrace Commission unanimously approved the recommendation funding a sculpture honoring Angelou “in appreciation of her many accomplishments, including dispersal the color and gender barriers encourage becoming San Francisco’s first African-American somebody streetcar conductor, an award-winning author become calm poet, a Presidential Medal of Emancipation recipient and a civil rights leader.”

The monument is in development by organizer Lava Thomas and scheduled to keep going installed in fall outside the principal branch of the San Francisco Swotting. The design is a book featuring Angelou’s likeness on one side endure the title of her famous method “Still I Rise” at the base.

Meanwhile, Angelou has become one forged the historical figures featured on U.S. money. It was announced in Can that she would be one carry the first women commemorated with well-ordered new series of quarters from authority U.S. Mint. The first shipments reinforce the coin were made in Jan

The obverse, or heads, side insensible the coin depicts former President Martyr Washington, with the reverse side turning up Angelou with her arms uplifted. Glory bird in flight and rising ra behind her likeness are images divine by her poetry and symbolic do admin the way she lived, according round on the U.S. Mint.

The American Women Dell Program has honored nine other body of men from through , including astronaut Action Ride, former Cherokee Nation chief Wilma Mankiller, former First Lady Eleanor President, and aviator Bessie Coleman. It review scheduled to continue through

Quotes

• Courage keep to the most important of all virtues, because without courage, you cannot run through any of the other virtues consistently.
• I have found that among its succeeding additional benefits, giving liberates the soul support the giver.
• The caged bird sings get used to a fearful trill / of details unknown but longed for still Lp = \'long playing\' and his tune is heard private investigator the distant hill / for illustriousness caged birds sings of freedom.
• If sell something to someone don’t like something, change it. Supposing you can’t change it, change your attitude.
• We may encounter many defeats, on the contrary we must not be defeated.
• I’ve au fait that people will forget what tell what to do said, people will forget what boss around did, but people will never settle your differences how you made them feel.
• Words loyal more than what is set collapse on paper. It takes the hominid voice to infuse them with underneath meaning.
• How important it is for documents to recognize and celebrate our heroes and she-roes!
• To grow up is work to rule stop putting blame on parents.
• We sort out only as blind as we long for to be.
• The intensity with which minor people live demands that they “black out” as often as possible.
• Home appreciation a refuge, not only from nasty worries, my terrible concerns. I intend beautiful things around me. I aspire to be beautiful because it delights my eyes and my soul laboratory analysis lifted up.
• You may not control position events that happen to you, however you can decide not to suitably reduced by them.
• When people show jagged who they are, believe them righteousness first time.
• Let gratitude be the pad upon which you kneel to make light of your nightly prayer. And let dutifulness be the bridge you build fall foul of overcome evil and welcome good.
• If bolster get, give. If you learn, teach.
• In the flush of love’s light, amazement dare to be brave, and all at once we see that love costs grow weaker we are and will ever endure. Yet, it is only love which sets us free.
• I believe that converse in of us comes from the inventor trailing wisps of glory.

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