All God's Children

Maya Angelou (born Marguerite Johnson April 4, 1928) is an American poet, memoirist, actress and an important figure in the American Civil Rights Movement. more...

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Angelou is known for the autobiographical writings I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings (1969) and All God's Children Need Traveling Shoes (1986). In most of her biographies, she intended to help people, especially children, who were struggling in life. Her volume of poetry, Just Give Me a Cool Drink of Water 'Fore I Die (1971) was nominated for the Pulitzer Prize, and in 1993, Angelou read her poem On the Pulse of Morning written for Bill Clinton's Presidential inauguration at his request. It was only the second time in U.S. history that a poet had been asked to read at an inauguration, the first being Robert Frost at the inauguration of John F. Kennedy.

Angelou has published many other collections of verse, has traveled abroad to Europe, the Middle East, and Africa, and has worked as a journalist for foreign publications. She is fluent in English, French, Spanish, Italian, Arabic and Ghanian Fante.

She has received numerous honors including the Yale University Fellowship. She was also named the Rockefeller Foundation Scholar in Italy. Angelou has taught at the University of Ghana and the University of Kansas and holds a lifetime chair as the Z. Smith Reynolds Professor of American Studies at Wake Forest University. Additional honors include the Woman of the Year Award and a nomination for the Tony Awards. Angelou received the 1993 Grammy Award for Best Spoken Word Album for On the Pulse of Morning. In 2005, Angelou was honored by Oprah Winfrey at her Legends Ball along with 25 other African-American women who Winfrey considered as an inspiration. At the beginning of each academic year, she gives the opening address to all incoming freshman at Duke University. Also, she is an English professor at Wake Forest University. Angelou's doctorates are all honorary. In fact, she has no college education.

Background

Maya Angelou was born Marguerite Ann Johnson in St. Louis, Missouri, on April 4, 1928. In 1931, at the age of three, her parents divorced and she and her 5-year old brother, Bailey, were sent alone, by train, to live with their grandmother in Stamps, Arkansas. While she was living with her grandmother, Maya participated in many dance classes including tap, jazz and salsa. She performed at many recitals and won numerous awards for her inspirational dancing. After four years apart from their mother, the children returned home. This move eventually took a turn for the worse when at age eight, Maya was raped by her mother's boyfriend. Her description of the experience resulted in the murder of the rapist. Upon learning that the man was later kicked to death killed by her uncles, Maya became mute, believing, as she says, that "the power of my words led to someone's death." Still mute, four years later, she was sent back to Stamps because no one could handle the grim state she was in. Angelou credits a close friend in Stamps, Mrs. Flowers, for helping her "refind her voice". At the time, Maya was already an avid reader of poetry. Finally at the age of 13, after nearly 6 years of mutism, she began to speak again.

Read more at Wikipedia.org