Maya Angelou
Life Doesn't Frighten Me
Childhood/Beginnings:
Born as Marguerite Johnson, born April 04, 1928, in St. Louis, Missouri. She was sent to live with her grandparents at the age of 3, in Stamps, Arkansas. This Marked the beginning of her auto biography "I know why the caged bird sings". She lived a hard life full of segregation. She used her hard childhood for quotes in her book, like "If growing up for the southern black girl, being aware of her displacement, is the rust on the razor that threatens the throat". She spent another part of her life with her Mother in San Francisco, her mom was without a doubt a glamorous figure. Most of her adolescent years were grim, but was praised for her writing. She worked as a cook and a waitress. Then, at the age of 17 she was sent to live alone with her infant son. Then in the 1950's she worked as a stage performer, actress, singer and dancer. Most of her life experiences were used for her ideas in books.
Books & Poems Written
Here are just some of her many books and poems she has wrote.
-I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings
-Give Me a Cool Drink of Water
-Life Doesn't Frighten Me at all
-Amazing Place
-On the Pulse of the Morning
I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings
Published 1969 Random House
Maya Angelou
Life Doen't Frighten Me
Published 1993 Tabor & Chang
Maya Angelou & Jean Michel Basquiat
On The Pulse of Morning
Maya Angelou
Inspiration and purpose for "I know why the caged bird sings"
Her Life Life Experiences starting from the time she was sent to live with her Grandparents, to her reaching 16. She wrote the autobiography to show readers what her childhood was like in her perspective.
Here are just some of the many awards Maya Angelou has recieved.
Presidential Medal of Freedom
Maya Angelou being awarded the Medal of Freedom by Barack Obama.