Maya Angelou

By drmason

  • Birth

    Maya Angelou was born in St. Louis, MO as Marguerite Annie Johnson.

  • Sent to Stamps

    Maya, at the age of 3, and her brother, at the age of 4, were sent to live with their grandmother in Stamps, Arkansas.

  • Raped at Age 8

    Maya, at the age of 8, was raped by her mother's boyfriend, Freeman.

  • Moved Back in with Mother

    At the age of 14, Maya moved back in with her mother who had moved to Oakland, California.

  • First Black Female Streetcar Conductor in San Francisco

    Before she graduated, Maya worked as the first black female streetcar conductor in San Francisco.

  • Birth of Son

    At the age of 17, Maya gave birth to her son, Clyde. Clyde later changed his name to Guy Johnson.

  • Married

    Maya married a Greek electrician, former sailor, and aspiring musician Tosh Angelos.

  • Divorce

    Maya and her husband got a divorce in 1954. She then danced professionally around clubs in San Francisco.
  • Period: to

    Tour Europe for 'Porgy and Bess"

    Maya toured Europe with a production of the opera "Porgy and Bess." She attempted to learn the language of each country she visited and eventually gained proficiency in multiple languages

  • First Album Recorded

    Angelou recorded her first album, "Miss Calypso."

  • Met John Oliver Killens

    Maya met John Oliver Killens. He urged her to move to New York City to focus on her writing career.

  • Martin Luther King Jr. requests for a march

    In 1968, Martin Luther King Jr. asked Maya to organize a march.

  • I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings is Published

    I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings, Maya's first autobiography, was written in 1968 and published later in 1969.

  • Nominated for a Tony Award

    Maya Angelou was nominated for a Tony Award in 1973 for her role in Look Away.

  • Becomes a Full Time Professor

    Maya Angelou returned to Winston-Salem, North Carolina where she became a full time professor at Wake Forest University. From that point on, she considered herself a teacher who writes.

  • Recite Poem at Inauguration

    Angelou recited her poem "On the Pulse of Morning" at President Bill Clinton's inauguration making her the first poet to make an inaugural recitation since Robert Frost in 1961.

  • Creates Products for Hallmark

    In 2000, Maya Angelou created a collection of productions for Hallmark, some of which were greeting cards and decorative household items.

  • Death

    Maya died on May 28, 2014 in Winston-Salem, NC.