Maya Angelou was a celebrated poet, writer and civil rights advocate with a fascinating, eventful life. She was born in St. Louis, Missouri, on April 4, 1928, and grew up in Stamps, Arkansas. From a very early age, Maya Angelou was exposed to a wide variety of powerful personalities and cultures, due in part to her parents’ careers. Her mother, Vivian Baxter, was a nurse and businesswoman, who traveled a lot in the early years of her daughter’s life. Her father, Bailey Johnson, was a doorman, a career he chose instead of being a preacher.
From the age of seven, Maya lived with her grandmother in Stamps, Arkansas, a town segregated by race. Grandmother Baxter, as she was affectionately known, was a central figure in her life, and it was she who gave Angelou a strong moral and spiritual core. Even at this age, Maya had a keen interest in the arts, and began writing poetry and performing in theatrical productions.
During her teenage years, Maya had already experienced a great deal of hardship and adversity, including the death of her father when she was just eight and being raped at age nine by her mother’s boyfriend. After the alleged rapist was killed, Angelou was filed with guilt and could not bring herself to speak.
But as a young woman, she stayed determined to defy the limited choices that were presented to her.At the age of 16, Maya dropped out of high school and became the first African American streetcar conductor in San Fransisco. It was here that she first experienced the civil rights movement, and this led to her decision to join organizations such as the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) and the Civil Rights Program of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC).
In the 1950s, she went to New York to become a professional dancer and singer. However, after being seriously injured during a performance, she decided to turn her focus to writing.Angelou turned her hand to poetry, and in 1957, the critically acclaimed “Caged Bird” was published. This was just the start of her writing career and she went on to write 10 autobiographies and many poems throughout her illustrious career.
Maya Angelou’s Early Education
Maya Angelou attended school in Stamps until she was 12 years old then went to Lorraine, Texas. Completing her high school education there, she returned to her grandmother’s home in Stamps where at the age of 14 she entered Louis G. Rust High School. Despite her impressive academic qualifications she realized it would be impossible for her to pursue further education.
At this time, she obtained admission to the California Labor School in San Francisco, a course of study which equipped her with some of the necessary skills to secure further employment. After the completion of her course, Maya worked as a freelance journalist and a diner waitress, and she gained valuable experience.
By this stage, Maya began to appreciate literature, which had been discouraged in Arkansas, and she joined a writers’ group for African-Americans who wrote in various genres. Additionally, she began to explore acting, and soon secured a scholarship at the San Francisco Drama Workshop, eventually taking the stage for a role in Porgy and Bess in 1957.
Maya soon became involved in the civil rights movement, and toured Europe as a member of a musical revue organized by poet-activist Langston Hughes. Despite having never been to school, Angelou had a prodigious knowledge and articulate speech, so she was well-suited for a political role.
While Angelou’s civil rights activity had numerous influences, one of the most significant was her Nigerian legal advisor, T.J. Johnson, who focused her mind on the injustices faced by African -Americans. Johnson encouraged her to write, and eventually her writings were published in books and journals.
Maya Angelou’s Early Writing Career
Maya Angelou’s first books, I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings and Gather Together In My Name, both autobiographical and reflective of her early life, were published in 1969 and 1974 respectively. These works earned critical acclaim from literary circles, as Maya was called “an exciting new voice” in the literary world.
After writing her autobiographies, Maya Angelou turned to poetry, and over the next few years, five volumes of poetry were published, including Just Give Me a Cool Drink of Water Fore I Die, Now Sheba Sings the Song, Phenomenal Woman and Amazing Peace. These books were immediately successful and were referenced in many collections, such as the African American Library, An Anthology of African American Performance and Anthology of American Poetry.
In addition to her poetic work, Angelou had also served as a professor at Wake Forest University, which her work was also featured in periodicals such as The Harvard Review, Essence magazine and the Black Scholar. Throughout the years, Maya Angelou was respected across the world for her hard work, philanthropy and her unflinchingly honest writings.
Maya Angelou was also a celebrated actress and performer Her appearances included roles in two plays directed by Lloyd Richards, Roots: The Next Generations, and guest appearances in The Bill Cosby Show, Twin Peaks and Baby of Macon. Additionally, she wrote dozens of television shows, such as her work on Roots, as well as appearing in several feature films and documentaries.
In her later life, Maya Angelou became a celebrated author of ten books. In addition to her previously published works, she wrote two novels, a collection of drama and plays and two known screenplays. Many of these works focused on the struggles and achievements of African-Americans, as well as her personal experiences.
Maya Angelou’s Early Achievements
Although Maya Angelou’s achievements began in her childhood, she continued to gain successful accomplishments throughout her life. In 1993, Maya was asked to compose a poem for the inauguration of President Bill Clinton, entitled “On the Pulse of Morning.” This poem won her a Grammy Award for Best Spoken Word album, and she also received a Pulitzer Prize nomination for the work.
Maya Angelou was also honored with numerous awards during her lifetime, including the Presidential Medal of Freedom, which was awarded to her by President Barack Obama in 2011. Other awards include an NAACP Image Award, the Langston Hughes Medal, and an induction into the Women’s Hall of Fame.
On May 28, 2014, at the age of 86, Maya Angelou passed away due to natural causes. Her legacy will continue to live on forever, inspiring generations to come. Through her works, she pointed out the need for social reform in America, and her unwavering perseverance in her writing, philanthropic and civil rights work will be remembered for years to come.
Maya Angelou’s Early Experiences
During her early life, Maya Angelou experienced a great deal of upheaval, discrimination and pain. After the death of her father when she was only eight, Maya and her brother were sent to live in Stamps, Arkansas. This place had some of the harshest segregation laws in the United States, which she experienced firsthand as a young girl.
When she was only nine, Maya was raped by her mother’s boyfriend and avengefully, the rapist was killed. This event left her with such a traumatic childhood that she refused to speak for five years, believing her voice had caused the death of the perpetrator.
At age 16, Maya decided to move out of Stamps in search of better opportunities and moved to San Francisco. It was here that she first experienced the civil rights movement and joined organizations such as the NAACP and the SCLC. During this time, she began to appreciate literature, which had been discouraged in Arkansas, and she joined a writers’ group for African-Americans who wrote in various genres.
These formative experiences and the struggles she had already endured, gave her the strength and will to persevere in whatever she endeavored to do in both her professions and life. She worked hard to provide for her family, and this work ethic was her driving force.
Maya Angelou’s Early Artistic Endeavours
Before becoming an acclaimed poet and writer, Maya Angelou was a passionate artist. When she was seven years old, Angelou started writing poetry and performing in theatrical productions, nurturing her love for performing. As a young woman, she moved to New York to become a professional dancer and singer, until she was injured in a performance. Despite this setback, Maya decided to turn her focus to writing, and her works were soon published in books and journals.
In addition to her writing, Angelou also rekindled her love of theater and performed in musical plays. She earned a scholarship at the San Francisco Drama Workshop, and eventually took the stage for a role in Porgy and Bess in 1957. Angelou continued to pursue her passion for performing, with cameo appearances in Roots: The Next Generations and Twin Peaks, and she wrote numerous television shows, including her work on Roots.
At the same time, she wrote prolifically and was published in many collections and magazines such as The Harvard Review, Essence magazine and the Black Scholar. In addition to books and journals, Angelou was often praised for her poems and her recorded work, eventually winning her a Grammy Award for Best Spoken Word album.
This varied artistic career provided Angelou with an excellent platform to discuss civil rights issues and social justice, and it also allowed her to connect with both young and old audiences. Her strength and defiance within her life and works firmly placed her as an iconic figure – she was truly an individual with a unique voice who was determined to make a difference.
