Maya Angelou
At a glance:
- Series: Dictionary of World Biography: Twentieth Century
- Categories: Women’s Issues, Literature, Publishing
- Subcategories: Authors, Writers, Novelists, Short Story Writers, African Americans, Blacks, Poetry, Poets
- Curriculum: American History 1951-present, Women’s History, African American History
Article abstract: Best known for her poetry and autobiographical works, Angelou has had a multifaceted career, enjoying success as a dancer, actress, and teacher.
Early Life
Maya Angelou was born Marguerite Annie Johnson in St. Louis, Missouri, in 1928 to Vivian Baxter and Bailey Johnson. Following her parents’ divorce, Angelou and her brother were sent to live with their paternal grandmother, Annie Henderson, in Stamps, a poor rural section of Arkansas. Angelou’s grandmother, whom she called “Momma,” was the stable force in Angelou’s early...
[The entire page is 2003 words long]