Maya Angelou

1928–2014

10 standalone books

Maya Angelou, born Marguerite Annie Johnson, was an American poet, memoirist, and civil rights activist. She authored seven autobiographies, three books of essays, and several books of poetry. She was also involved in the creation of plays, movies, and television shows over a career spanning more than 50 years. Angelou received dozens of awards and more than 50 honorary degrees. She held various jobs in her early adulthood, including fry cook, prostitute, nightclub dancer, and cast member of the opera Porgy and Bess. She also worked as a coordinator for the Southern Christian Leadership Conference and as a journalist in Egypt and Ghana during the decolonization of Africa. She was an actor, writer, director, and producer. In 1982, she was awarded the first lifetime Reynolds Professorship of American Studies at Wake Forest University. She was active in the Civil Rights movement and worked with Martin Luther King, Jr. and Malcolm X.

Born

1928