Arts & LiteratureCivil Rights
A legendary life
Maya Angelou
Marguerite Annie Johnson
April 4, 1928 – May 28, 2014
American poet, memoirist, and civil rights activist whose writing transformed modern autobiographical literature.
Her story
A life that changed history
Maya Angelou achieved international recognition with her 1969 memoir I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings, an unflinching account of childhood, racism, and resilience. She worked with Martin Luther King Jr. and Malcolm X, wrote poetry, drama, and screenplays, and taught at Wake Forest University. In 1993 she recited “On the Pulse of Morning” at President Bill Clinton’s inauguration.
“There is no greater agony than bearing an untold story inside you.”
I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings (1969)