Maya Angelou

By hlbrown

  • Maya Angelou Born

    She was born with the name Marguerite Johnson in St. Louis, Missouri.

  • Stamps, Arkansas

    Her father sent her, when she was three, and Bailey, when he was four, to live with their grandmother after his marriage with their mother ended. They were sent to Stamps, Arkansas.

  • First visit from her father

    Angelou's father makes a surprise visit to take her brother and her back to St. Louis to live with their mother.

  • Maya raped by Mr. Freeman

    Angelou becomes mute for five years after this incident because he believed the only person she could talk to was Bailey. Mr. Freeman was killed after Maya went against him in court, and she believed it was because she talked of him.

  • Maya Angelou became the first black streetcar conductor

  • Maya gives birth to her son Clyde

    Angelou gave birth when she was 17. Clyde later changed his name to Gus Johnson.

  • Angelou toured Europe to sing

    She preformed with the opera Porgy and Bess. She made it a goal to learn the language of every country she visited. She spoke French, Spanish, Italian, Hebrew, and Fanti.

  • Maya Angelou was published for the first time

  • Angelou meets Martin Luther King Jr.

    He urges her to create Cabaret for Freedom to benefit the Southern Christian Leadership Conference. She was later named SCLC Northern Coordinator.

  • Angelou moves to Cairo

    She moved to Cairo with her son and partner. She worked for the english newspaper, "The Arab Observer."

  • Maya moved to Ghana

    She lived there for 3 years and became an administrator at the University of Ghana. She edited "The African Review," broadcasted Radio Ghana, and preformed for Ghana's National Theatre.

  • Organization of Afro-American Unity

    Maya returns to the United States to create the Organization of Afro-American Unity with Malcom X.

  • Martin Luther King Jr.

    He asks Angelou to organize a march. She agreed by postponed, and he was assassinated before she had the chance to organize it.

  • "I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings"

    "I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings," and autobiography, was published in 1969. She was inspired after she attended a dinner party with James Baldwin.

  • "Just Give Me a Cool Drink of Water 'fore I Diiie"

    This was published in 1971. It was later nominated for the Pulitzer Prize and Bill Clinton chose "On the Pulse of Morning" from this collection to be read at his inauguration.

  • Tony Award nomination

    Angelou nominated for a Tony Award for her part in the movie "Look Away."

  • Reynolds Professorship

    She was given the lifetime Reynolds Professorship of American Studies at Wake Forest University.

  • "On the Pulse of Morning"

    Angelous recited her poem "On the Pulse of Morning" at Bill Clinton's inauguration.

  • "Mom & Me & Mom"

    This is her seventh volume of autobiography and is based on her relationship with her mother.

  • Life time achievement award

    Maya received the lifetime achievement award from the Conference of Minority Transportation Officials for being the first black female streetcar conductor in San Francisco.

  • Angelou's death

    She was found by her nurse in the morning. She had reportedly been in poor health.