Maya was born as Marguerite Ann Johnson in Saint Louis, Missouri.
Her parents marriage ended and Maya and her brother were sent to live with her father's mother, Mrs. Annie Henderson, in Stamps, Arkansas
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
She dropped out of school in her teens to become San Francisco's first African American female cable car conductor
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
She married a Greek sailor named Tosh Angelos but the marriage quickly failed
She began her career as a nightclub singer and during this time took the name Maya Angelou
she won Martin Luther King, Jr. Legacy Association National Award
