Literary Sphere

Image created by Meta Ai Maya Angelou: A Phenomenal Woman Maya Angelou (1928-2014) was an American poet, memoirist, actress, and prominent figure in the Civil Rights Movement. Her autobiographical work I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings made literary history as the first nonfiction bestseller by an African American woman. Angelou's rich, lyrical voice and unflinching honesty in addressing racism, identity, and trauma established her as one of the most important literary figures of the 20th century. "I've learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel." Early Life and Childhood Maya Angelou was born Marguerite Annie Johnson on April 4, 1928, in St. Louis, Missouri. Her early years were marked by trauma and displacement: Parents: Bailey Johnson (father) and Vivian Baxter Johnson (mother) At age...