Home > American Home Front WWII > Maya Angelou Biography

Born April 4, 1928

St. Louis, Missouri

Poet, author, actress, director

Decades before she rose to great acclaim in the arts, Maya Angelou was breaking down barriers and laying the groundwork for her life's mission of helping others. As a teenager during World War II (1939–45), she became the first black American streetcar conductor in San Francisco, California. She also witnessed firsthand the removal of thousands of Japanese American citizens from San Francisco by the War Relocation Authority (WRA). These citizens were forced to leave their homes and evacuate to camps spread throughout the United States. The tragic scene made a lasting impression on Angelou, who worked to better the lives of others the rest of her life.

Angelou became a noted author, poet, teacher, and historian. The first black American woman director in Hollywood, Angelou wrote, produced, directed, and acted in...