Maya Angelou

Maya Angelou was known for a few things, but most importantly she was known for her great flair at poetry. She was born as Marguerite Ann Johnson on April 4, 1928 in St. Louis Missouri. Her childhood wasn't as easy as some people would think. Her parents divorced when Maya was only three years old, and she was then sent to live with her brother Bailey at their grandmother's in Arkansas. That was where her name changed to Maya: her brother, who she became very close with, nicknamed her that. When Maya was seven she visited her mother in Chicago, which is where she was molested by her mother's boyfriend. She was too ashamed to tell any adult, so she confided in her brother. Shortly after, her brother had told the rest of their family, and the mother's boyfriend went to jail for a day. Four days after he was released one of Maya's uncles killed him. This lead Maya to become mute. She stated, "I thought, my voice killed him; I killed that man, because I told his name. And then I thought I would never speak again, because my voice would kill anyone...". She started talking again when she was 13 years old. Throughout her life, she has always been very interested and dedicated to dance, performance, and poetry. She toured Europe with a production of the opera Porgy and Bess in 1954 and 1955. She studied modern dance and performed a variety of shows, recording her first album Calypso Lady in 1957. Her interest in developing her writing skills convinced Maya Angelou to move to New York where she joined the Harlem Writers Guide. She took her place among the young writers and artists that were associated with the civil rights movement. Throughout her life she was involved with the civil right movement and she began working closely with Martin Luther King, Jr. Later on, Maya became known nationally. Martin Luther King, Jr. requested that Maya served at the Norther Coordinator for the Southern Christian Leadership Conference. Maya was known mostly because of her talent in the many books she'd written, her role in the civil rights movement, and most importantly for her extremely inspiring poetry.