Maya Angelou's Life

By jefletch

  • Birth

    Born on April 4, 1928 in St. Louis, Missouri. Birth name: Marguerite Annie Johnson

  • Maya becomes the name

    The nickname sticks

  • Worked with Martin Luther King Jr.

    Was a huge advocate for Civil Rights and started lectures for it while working with Martin Luther King Jr.

  • Writes "I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings"

    Gains international recognition for it and claims her fame

  • Wrote "Gather Together in My Name"

    Continuation of autobiographical fiction

  • First African American Female in the Directors Guild of America

    Joined right after she wrote "Georgia, Georgia" in 1972

  • Wrote "Singin’ and Swingin’ and Gettin’ Merry Like Christmas"

    Continuation of autobiographical fiction

  • Wrote "The Heart of a Woman"

    Continuation of autobiographical fiction

  • First Reynolds Professor of American Studies at Wake Forest University in Winston-Salem, North Carolina

  • Wrote "All God’s Children Need Traveling Shoes"

    Continuation of autobiographical fiction

  • Recited "On the Pulse of Morning" at Clinton's inauguration

    First person to recite a poem at an inauguration since Robert Frost did at John F. Kennedy's inauguration in 1961

  • Grammy awards

    Three grammy wins and five nominations) for best spoken word albums — in 1993, 1995 and 2002, for On The Pulse Of Morning, Phenomenal Woman, and A Song Flung Up To Heaven, respectively

  • Director of "Down in the Delta"

    Director was one of her careers.

  • Wrote "Letter to My Daughter"

    Continuation of her autobiographical fiction

  • Wrote "Mom & Me & Mom"

    Continuation of her autobiographical fiction

  • Death

    Died May 28, 2014 at the age of 86 in Winston-Salem, North Carolina