Maya Angelou Biography

1882 Words4 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: Maya angelou's struggle

Maya Angelou: “Caged Bird”
Biography:
April 4th of 1928, in the town of St. Louis, Missouri, was when the life of Margeurite Annie Johnson began (“Maya Angelou,” Biography.com). The name that she later adopted, Maya Angelou, is derived from her childhood name, “My,” as called by her older brother, combined with a shortened version of her ex-husband’s surname of Angelopulos (Academy of Achievement). Angelou was born to Bailey and Vivian Johnson, who split when she was only three years old, thus bombarding her with a rather discombobulated childhood spent with her brother and grandmother in Stamps, Arkansas (Burt and Curtright). In Stamps was where Angelou faced major racial discrimination, which was unfortunately commonplace in the Southern …show more content…

Her adroit abilities enabled her to produce compositions branching off of discrete literary areas, such as singing, dancing, acting, directing, and writing. Georgia, Georgia (1972), is a film written and composed by her (Academy of Achievement). Mrs. Flowers: A Moment of Friendship (1986) is a book written by Angelou regarding her friendship with the woman who encouraged her to speak again (“Maya Angelou,” Poetry Foundation). Singin' and Swingin' and Gettin' Merry like Christmas (1976) is one of Angelou’s other autobiographies besides her most recognized one: 1969’s I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings, which became the first nonfiction best-seller by an African-American woman (“Maya Angelou,” Biography.com). I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings chronicles the childhood of Maya Angelou, ending with the birth of her son, Guy, and it was nominated for a National Book Award after winning immediate success (“Maya Angelou,” Poetry Foundation). Angelou’s literary impact resulted in her receiving of over 50 honorary degrees including two NAACP Image Awards, the National Medal of Arts by President Bill Clinton, and the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2010 by President Barack Obama (“Maya Angelou,” Poetry Foundation). In 2013, Angelou received the Literarian Award for her contributions to the literary community (“Maya Angelou,” Poetry Foundation). Overall, her works contain messages encircling her struggles with firsthand racial prejudice, her experience of being sexually abused, faith, violence, black beauty, the strength of women, the human spirit, and social justice, which are all powerful topics accompanied by Angelou’s powerful words (“Maya Angelou,” Poetry

Show More
Related

  • Maya Angelou

    955 Words  | 2 Pages

    In 1970, a child with skinny legs and muddy skin was introduced into African American literature. Born marguerite Johnson she became known as Maya Angelou (Lupton 51). Her critically acclaimed works have changed the way of the African American autobiography is written.

    Read More

  • The Powerful Leader Of Maya Angelou

    1382 Words  | 3 Pages

    Maya Angelou is one of the well-respected African-American women figures. Maya is a poet, actress, civil right activist, dancer, singer, writer, educator, and a director. Maya’s real name is Marguerite Johnson. Maya was born in St. Louis, Missouri, on April 4, 1928. Maya’s parents divorced when she was three. She was sent to live with her brother and grandmother in Stamps, Arkansas. She was very close to her brother Bailey and her brother named her Maya. When she lived in Arkansas, she experienced discrimination towards African-American. At the age of seven Maya was sexually assaulted by her mother’s boyfriend. “She only told her brother,” but a few days later her uncle has murdered the man who assaulted her. She thought her words have killed

    Read More

  • Annotated Bibliography Of Maya Angelou

    2111 Words  | 5 Pages

    "Angelou, Maya (née Marguerite Annie Johnson)." Encyclopedia of African-american Writing. Amenia: Grey House Publishing, 2009. Credo Reference. Web. 12 March 2014.

    Read More

  • Maya Angelou Inspires Confidence in Women

    538 Words  | 2 Pages

    Maya Angelou is not just known for being a poet, novelist, educator, producer, actor, musician, and civil right activist, but also as one of the most renowned and influential voices. Maya Angelou was born as Marguerite Johnson on April 4, 1928, in St. Louis, Missouri, and raised in Stamps, Arkansas. As a child, she had a passion for art. She attended public school in Arkansas and California, and won a scholarship to study dance and drama at San Francisco’s Labor school. At the age of fourteen, Dr. Angelou dropped out of school and became the first female cable conductor. Dr. Angelou later went back and finished high school. A few weeks after she graduated from high school, she gave birth to her son Guy. Even though being a single mother and working different jobs would challenge her, her passion for music, dance, and poetry grew (Bloom).

    Read More

  • Maya Angelou Accomplishments

    1716 Words  | 4 Pages

    The inspirational Marguerite Ann Johnson, better known as Ms. Maya Angelo was born on April 4, 1928 to her parents Bailey and Vivian Baxter Johnson. She was born in St. Louis, Missouri. Maya’s parents soon divorced when she was only three years old, resulting in her and her brother Bailey Johnson Jr. moving and staying with their grandmother in Stamps, Arkansas. (Change-maker in black history: Maya Angelou). Her grandmother Annie Henderson was one of the most important, a pious woman who ran a general store in Stamps, Arkansas. (Moore, 1) Young Maya often dreamed about being a pretty little white girl and how she wished her hair was transitioned from her nappy roots to long, silky blonde. Her grandmother however instilled the importance of being proud of your race. Living during this time it was very common to want a better life of course, but this was one of the first known racial encounter Maya faced. Upon moving back to her mother at the age of eight, tragically, Ms. Angelou was raped by her mother’s boyfriend. Revealing her rapist resulted in her uncles taking matters in to their own hands, which also resulted in the death of her mother’s boyfriend. By acknowledging the power of her tongue, this tragic encountered her to go mute for about five years. (Global Renaissance Woman) Mrs. Bertha Flowers was who was acknowledged and worked with Maya to speak again at the age of thirteen.

    Read More

  • Exploring Maya Angelou: Life and Literary Impact

    983 Words  | 2 Pages

    In this research paper, we focus on the Maya Angelou’s life. The author is being researched for her history, life, best-known works, and their relevance in the classroom. Maya Angelou is a well-known poet, storyteller, activist, and autobiographer.

    Read More

  • Maya Angelou!

    1917 Words  | 4 Pages

    Angelou’s work is, then, a presentation of the life of a black woman who has lived in the South and in the urban North, who has lived in Africa, and has traveled Europe. She has gone through poverty and despair and she has been granted high honors. Her work is the expression of those experiences and sensations through the eyes of a black woman. Due to specific events in Maya Angelou’s life, her style of writing was exceedingly pretentious. Maya Angelou was born on April 4, 1928 to Marguerite Ann Johnson.

    Read More

  • Maya Angelou: The First African American Woman

    209 Words  | 1 Pages

    By the age of 14, Angelou and Bailey were able to move back with their mother, who moved to Oakland, California. Angelou then attended a school named California Labor School during World War II. She became the first African American female street car conductor in San Francisco. In 1944, Angelou was not always the innocent little girl everyone thought she would be. At the age of 16 years old, Maya had her first baby boy from a short lived relationship with a guy that ended in pregnancy. She struggled in her years to be able to support herself and child. She had numerous of jobs that in today’s generation, you will be embarrassed to mention to anyone. A few of the jobs she took to bring income into her household was prostitution, a table dancer

    Read More

  • Overcoming Obstacles In Maya Angelou's Life

    1431 Words  | 3 Pages

    Maya Angelou grew up and was born in the state of Louis, Missouri. She was a Daughter of two hard-working parents, named Bailey Johnson who was the main provider and worked as a doorkeeper and Vivian Johnson who was a nurse. Eventually, her parents were divorced just when she turned three years old. At a young age, her brother Bailey that was eight years and herself and their grandmother were living in a very small town called Stamps in Arkansas where she absorbed much religious faith and would have to wear old-fashioned courtesy due to the old traditional African American lifestyle. In her early childhood years, Maya Angelou was raised with her brother Bailey during in the racially segregated South by her paternal grandmother. She earned a scholarship to a drama school.

    Read More

  • Maya Angelou

    1203 Words  | 3 Pages

    In Maya Angelou's autobiographical novel, "I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings", tender-hearted Marguerite Johnson, renamed Maya by her refined brother Bailey, discovers all of the splendors and agonies of growing up in a prejudiced, early twentieth century America. Rotating between the slow country life of Stamps, Arkansas and the fast-pace societies in St. Louis, Missouri and San Francisco, California taught Maya several random aspects of life while showing her segregated America from coast to coast.

    Read More

  • Maya Angelou Identity

    1648 Words  | 4 Pages

    Every child searches for individuality; what makes everyone unique? As a child, surroundings will shape who a person becomes. So a child raised in secure suburbs might be more trusting than a child who lives in a large city. Different environments will without a doubt put people in uncomfortable and sometimes unfortunate circumstances. Environment as a whole is what affects how a child behaves, thinks, and reacts to certain situations. In the novel I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings, Maya Angelou exposes her own struggle to find identity as she endured racial hardships and sexual abuse.

    Read More

  • Maya Angelou's Life

    1050 Words  | 3 Pages

    Maya Angelou's life growing up was not always perfect. Given the birth name of Marguerite Ann Johnson, Maya Angelou was borin in St. Louis, Missouri on April 4th, 1928. Although she was born there, she spent most of her childhood in Stamps, Arkansas with her Grandmother, Annie Henderson and in San Fransico, California with her mother. Maya Angelou is still living today and teaches at Wake Forest University in North Carolina. Maya had to deal with many hard things growing up and although it wasn't perfect, she's lead a very eventful life.

    Read More

  • The Struggles in Maya Angelou's Life

    924 Words  | 2 Pages

    The early 1930’s a time where segregation was still an issue in the United States it was especially hard for a young African American girl who is trying to grow and become an independent woman. At this time, many young girls like Maya Angelou grew up wishing they were a white woman with blond hair and blue eyes. That was just the start of Angelou's problems though. In the autobiography, I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings, Maya Angelou goes into great depth about her tragic childhood, from moving around to different houses, and running away and having a child at the age of 16. This shows how Maya overcame many struggles as a young girl.

    Read More

  • Summary Of The Champion Of The World By Maya Angelo

    789 Words  | 2 Pages

    Maya Angelo was born marguerite Johnson in Saint Louis in the year 1928. Broken family, raped at the age eight, unwed mother at sixteen years old she had an unpleasant eventful youth. She wrote six book of poetry, produced a TV series in Africa, and acted in a television series and serve as a coordinator for a southern Christian leadership conference. She is best known for her books I know why the caged bird sings, song flog up to heaven, hallelujah! The welcome table. She was also a Reynolds professor of American studies at wake Forest University.

    Read More

  • Maya Angelou's Graduation into Maturity

    522 Words  | 2 Pages

    In her first autobiography, Maya Angelou tells about her childhood through her graduation through, “Graduation”, from “I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings” when she is about to graduate. She starts as an excited graduate because she was finally going to receive her diploma, a reward for all her academic accomplishments. On the day of her graduation finally comes, that happiness turns into doubt about her future as she believes that black people will be nothing more than potential athletes or servants to white people. It wasn’t until Henry Reed started to sing the Negro National Anthem that she felt on top of the world again. Throughout her graduation she felt excited to disappointed, until Henry Reed sang and made her feel better.

    Read More

More about Maya Angelou Biography

Open Document