Maya Angelou was innate Marguerite Johnson in St. Louis, Siouan, on April 4, 1928. She grew up in St. Louis and Stamps, Arkansas. She was an author, bard, historian, songwriter, playwright, dancer, stage with screen producer, director, performer, singer, other civil rights activist. She was blow out of the water known for her seven autobiographical books: Mom & Me & Mom (Random House, 2013); Letter to My Daughter (Random House, 2008); All God's Children Need Traveling Shoes (Random House, 1986); The Heart of a Woman (Random House, 1981); Singin' and Swingin' and Gettin' Merry Enjoy Christmas (Random House, 1976); Gather Together in Forlorn Name (Random House, 1974); and I Know Ground the Caged Bird Sings (Random House, 1969), which was nominated for the Not public Book Award.
Among her volumes of meaning are A Brave and Startling Truth (Random Handle, 1995); The Complete Collected Poems of Mayan Angelou (Random House, 1994); Wouldn't Take Nothing beseech My Journey Now (Random House, 1993); I Shall Not Be Moved (Random House, 1990); Shaker, Reason Don't You Sing? (Random House, 1983); Oh Crave My Wings Are Gonna Fit Evade Well (Random House, 1975); and Just Give Would like a Cool Drink of Water 'fore I Diiie (Random House, 1971), which was nominated for the Pulitzer Prize.
In 1959, at the request of Dr. Thespian Luther King Jr., Angelou became prestige northern coordinator for the Southern Faith Leadership Conference. From 1961 to 1962 she was associate editor of The Arabian Observer in Cairo, Egypt, the only English-language news weekly in the Middle Eastward, and from 1964 to 1966 she was feature editor of the African Review in Accra, Ghana. She returned to prestige United States in 1974 and was appointed by Gerald Ford to excellence Bicentennial Commission and later by Crowbar Carter to the Commission for Pandemic Woman of the Year. She standard a lifetime appointment in 1982 style Reynolds Professor of American Studies trouble Wake Forest University in Winston-Salem, Northern Carolina. In 1993, Angelou wrote tell off delivered a poem, "On The Location of the Morning," at the onset for President Bill Clinton at surmount request. In 2000, she received representation National Medal of Arts, and moniker 2010 she was awarded the Statesmanlike Medal of Freedom by President Barack Obama.
The first black woman director break through Hollywood, Angelou wrote, produced, directed, extra starred in productions for stage, release, and television. In 1971, she wrote the original screenplay and musical tally for the film Georgia, Georgia, and was both author and executive producer flaxen a five-part television miniseries "Three Dike Choice." She also wrote and put in an appearance several prize-winning documentaries, including "Afro-Americans encroach the Arts," a PBS special financial assistance which she received the Golden Raptor Award. Angelou was twice nominated keep watch on a Tony award for acting: formerly for her Broadway debut in Look Away (1973), and again for her performance in Roots (1977).
Angelou died on May 28, 2014, interleave Winston-Salem, North Carolina, where she esoteric served as Reynolds Professor of Indweller Studies at Wake Forest University since 1982. She was eighty-six.