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Maya was born as Marguerite Ann Johnson in Saint Louis, Missouri.
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Her parents marriage ended and Maya and her brother were sent to live with her father's mother, Mrs. Annie Henderson, in Stamps, Arkansas
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Maya was sexually abused and raped by her mother's boyfriend, Mr. Freeman. The shock made Maya mute and the children were sent back to live with their grandmother once again
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She dropped out of school in her teens to become San Francisco's first African American female cable car conductor
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Maya returned to high school, but became pregnant and graduated a few weeks before giving birth to her son, Guy. She left home to bring up her son as a single mother working as a waitress and cook
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She married a Greek sailor named Tosh Angelos but the marriage quickly failed
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She began her career as a nightclub singer and during this time took the name Maya Angelou
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she won Martin Luther King, Jr. Legacy Association National Award
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she Receives Mother Teresa Award
