“Courage is the most important of all the virtues because without courage you can't practice any other virtue consistently. You can practice any virtue erratically, but nothing consistently without courage.” - Maya Angelou
Maya Angelou was an author, poet, dancer, actress, singer, and civil rights activist, born on April 4, 1928. She published three books of essays, several books of poetry, and seven autobiographies, she was credited with a list of plays, movies, and television shows. Angelou is best known for her 1969 memoir, I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings, the first non-fiction that got best-seller by an African-American woman, which made literary history.
Maya Angelou had a troubled childhood, when her parents separated at the age of 3, she and her brother went and lived with their grandmother in Stamps, Arkansas, this is where she first experienced racial discrimination. At the age of 7, she was raped by her mother’s boyfriend. When her uncle found out, he killed Angelou’s rapist, traumatized she stopped speaking for 5 years. During WWII, she won a scholarship to study dance and acting at the California Labour School. By 1944, she gave birth to her son, Guy, at 16 years old, who she supported by herself. In 1952, she married a Greek
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Shortly after, Malcolm X was assassinated. Although she stayed active in the Civil Rights Movement, working closely with Martin Luther King Jr, whose assassination fell on her birthday, leaving her devastated. But with the help of friends she found peace in writing and that’s how her memoir “I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings” came about. From then on she has received countless of honours. A Pulitzer Prize nomination for her first book poetry “Just Give Me a Cool Drink of Water ‘fore I Die”, the Lincoln Medal, the Presidential Medal of Freedom, and many
Maya Angelou is terrific performer, singer, filmmaker, and civil-rights activist. She is a phenomenal woman, one thing that she does best is writing. She is still living today, I believe her legend will never die. If one would talk to her, he or she would think she has lead a normal, happy life. Her life is blissful now, it was not always perfect. Maya beard enough emotional stress in a time frame that most people do not experience in a lifetime. Her experiences and the lessons learned encouraged her to help others become strong. Maya Angelou is one of the best examples of someone overcoming rape, being mute for several years, and having a child at a young age to achieve success of becoming an accomplished
Born April 4, 1928, in Saint Louis Missouri throughout her life, Angelou defied several obstacles placed in her path by social norms. Angelou had a trying childhood. Her parents divorced when she was very young, and she and her older brother were sent to live with their paternal grandmother in Stamps, Arkansas. During a visit with her mother, Angelou's mother's boyfriend raped her. Her uncles then killed the boyfriend, traumatizing Angelou. After her mother's boyfriend raped her and turned up dead a few days later, Angelou withdrew and chose to stay mute for five years. However,after much encouragement from her grandmother, who introduced her to literature, she gradually emerged as an artist. In 1944, Angelou gave birth to a son, Guy , at
Maya Angelou was an inspiring activist, poet, and woman. Angelou was born in St. Louis, Missouri on April 4, 1928. Throughout her lifetime she explored her career options as an actress, dancer, singer, writer, and editor among many other careers. Angelou had a tough childhood. Her parents divorced when she was very young and she was sent to live with her grandmother in Arkansas along with her brother Bailey. As an African American, Angelou experienced discrimination and racial prejudices. Angelou gave birth to her son Guy, at the age of sixteen and married her first husband Tosh Angelos, at the age of twenty-four. Angelou and Tosh divorced years later however, she did get married a couple of more times. Angelou experienced many
Maya Angelou is an amazing American author, poet, entertainer, actress, playwright, producer and director, historian and civil rights activist. She is best known for her portrayals of strong African American women.
Maya Angelou was a civil rights activist, author, and poet. She wrote many books and poems that conveyed the vivid experiences in her life. Maya Angelou’s works are well known and she is an eminent writer. One poem in particular that is well known is “I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings,” written in 1969. In this work she described racial inequality, and the lack of freedom African Americans experienced in the 1930’s and 40’s. Maya Angelou uses many Rhetorical strategies and literary devices to describe the lack of racial freedom in the world at this time.
Maya’s younger years were filled with pain and tragedy. When she was only three years old, her parents separated, moving Maya and her brother into the home of their grandmother in Stamps, Arkansas. While growing up in this area, Angelou became aware of the discrimination and racism that was prevalent during this time in America. (Hyperlink.com) At the age of eight, Angelou was reinstated into the care of her mother. It was during this time period that Maya was sexually abused by her mother’s boyfriend. Shortly after this incident occurred, Angelou became mute and would not speak again for five years. This time period in Maya Angelou’s life would
Maya Angelou was an American poet and civil rights activist. She was born in April 4, 1928 and later died in May 28, 2014. The reason I chose Maya Angelou is because she was a great person that helped other people go through the hard times of life. She was born in St. Louis MO and died in Winston-Salem NC. She was mostly raised with Bailey her brother they both grew up most of their life together. She had also many problems in her life she was raped when she was only 8 by her boyfriends mother.
American poet, storyteller, activist, and autobiographer, Maya Angelou was born Marguerite Johnson in St. Louis, Missouri. Angelou has had a broad career as a singer, dancer, actress, composer, and first female black director, but is most famous as a writer, editor, essayist, playwright, and poet. There were also many authors such as Susan B. Anthony, Alice Walker, Christina Rossetti, Harriet Tubman, Arna Bontemps, and Langston Hughes.
Maya Angelou, an extremely successful author taught about in almost every high school in America, did not always have a sweet life. At the age of eight, Angelou was raped by Freeman, her mother’s boyfriend at the time (“Maya Angelou Is Born” ). This event had a major effect on Angelou’s life as she recalled, “I had a voice, but I refused to use it” (Angelou) to express her devastation after the rape. It wasn’t until five years after Angelou got raped that she spoke again. When Angelou built up the courage to speak again, she told several of her uncles who eventually beat Angelou’s rapist to death (“Maya Angelou Is Born”). Despite struggling with the tragic event of being raped, Maya Angelou was a successful author, poet, and civil rights activist.
Maya Angelou is one of the most distinguished African American writers of the twentieth century. Writing is not her only forte she is a poet, director, composer, lyricist, dancer, singer, journalist, teacher, and lecturer (Angelou and Tate, 3). Angelou’s American Dream is articulated throughout her five part autobiographical novels; I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings, Gather Together in my Name, Singin’ and Swingin’ and Getting’ Merry Like Christmas, The Heart of a Woman, and All God’s Children Need Traveling Shoes. Maya Angelou’s American Dream changed throughout her life: in I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings Maya’s American dream was to fit into a predominantly white society in small town
And in doing so, she produced writings, which in turn, helped others to become strong. Her experiences and the lessons learned gave her confidence to be a teacher, a preacher, and an inspiration to millions. Maya Angelou was courageous. Based on Angelou’s most prestigious autobiography, I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings, along with others, certainly reveals the occurring hardships and misfortunes of her life.
Maya Angelou is a phenomenal woman. She rises through all things that come her way and she refuses to back down. Angelou chose at a very young age to be a writer and a role model for many people. She believes that everyone should be treated equally and that the world should come together as a unity. Angelou had many careers but is known mostly for her poetic creations. She has come a long way from where she started and I think anyone can agree with me when I say, she has made us all proud with her accomplishments. Angelou writes poetry to inform and encourage others to carry on through the worst of times. She is a strong, confident, inspirational woman and I am more than honored to be doing my senior paper on her.
Maya Angelou, or Marguerite Annie Johnson, was born on April 4, 1928 in St. Louis. Missouri. Her childhood started off rough, with her parents separating at an early age, which caused Angelou and her brother, Bailey, to live with their grandmother in Stamps, Arkansas. At the young age of 7, an unfortunate of events occurred, such as Maya Angelou being raped by her mother's boyfriend and the vengeful murder of her mother’s boyfriend, that caused Angelou to become mute for several of years. Angelou eventually moved to San Francisco, California and had won a scholarship to study arts at California Labor School.
Maya Angelou is an American author who is known for her poetry and novels that lyrically illustrate the experiences of African Americans and also acts as a spokesperson for black pride and heritage (St. James Encyclopedia of Popular Culture). Although she speaks for people of color, her messages of hope and strength appeal to people of all ages and races. Angelou is best known for her autobiography, I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings, in which she recalls herself as a young African American girl finding self-confidence in a highly prejudice world. Maya Angelou’s work should still be taught in schools today because of her focus on civil rights and feminism, which continues to be a pressing issue in today’s society.
Maya Angelou (April 4, 1928-May 28, 2014) was an American author, actress, screenwriter dancer and poet. She was known for her memoir, I know Why the Caged Bird Sings (bibography.com). “Her parents divorced when she was only three and she was sent with her brother Bailey to live with their grandmother in the small town of Stamps, Arkansas. In Stamps, the young girl experienced the racial discrimination that was the legally enforced way of life in the American