Angelou continues to be one of the most popular of all African-American autobiographers and poets in the United States. A strong civil rights activist, Angelou accepted the invitation of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., to serve as the Northern Coordinator for the Southern Christian Leadership Conference. She has also become a role model and spokesperson for many young adult women. Many adolescents who are anxious about choosing a career will be interested in reading about one woman’s strides in many varied fields. Her accomplishments in theater, film, and television are notable. She produced, directed, and starred in a play called Cabaret for Freedom; wrote the screenplay and musical score for the film Georgia, Georgia (1972); and was a guest interviewer for the Public Broadcasting System (PBS) program Assignment America.

Singin’ and Swingin’ and Gettin’ Merry Like Christmas is one in a series of classic Angelou autobiographies and was followed by The Heart of a Woman (1981) and All God’s Children Need Traveling Shoes (1986). Her personal experiences resonate with political, feminist, classist, and race-relation questions. By mythologizing herself, she is able to stand up to—and stand up for—many oppressed groups.