Maya Angelou
Biography by Thao Ho
Maya Angelou was born on April 4. She grew up and became a successful writer. She began her career in drama and dancing. Maya Angelou is a author, poet, historian, actress, playwright, civil-right activist, producer, and director. She learned how to speak many languages. She can speak Spanish, French, Italian, and West African Fanti. She married a South African freedom fighter and live
s in Cairo. Maya Angelou had published ten best selling books and many magazine articles. She earned the Pulitzer prize and National Book Award. With the request of Bill Clinton, Maya Angelou wrote a poem and recited it at his 1993 presidential inauguration.
Story Summary by Crystal Thornton
The short story “Mrs. Flowers” is an autobiography of Maya Angelou’s
childhood. It is a story of how everything in her career got started. In the
beginning of the story “Marguerite Johnson” was slopping around the house
“like and old biscuit” and she was slowly loosing her intelligence or all
the intelligence she had. Then she met a woman named Mrs. Bertha flowers who she
said threw her her first lifeline. Mrs. Flowers tutored Marguerite until she was
able to manage knowledge on her own. She loved reading and writing so much that
she wanted to do it all the time. That is what made her one of the most talented
African-American women in America.
Story example by Johnny Chin
Maya has written many wonderful stories. Here is an example of one great story, “I know why the caged bird sings” is a autobiography of Maya Growing up. It is about prejudice and a young woman growing up.
I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings
A poem by Maya Angelou
A free bird leaps on the back of the wind
and floats downstream till the current ends
and dips his wing in the orange suns rays
and dares to claim the sky.
But a bird that stalks down his narrow cage
can seldom see through his bars of rage
his wings are clipped and his feet are tied
so he opens his throat to sing.
The caged bird sings with a fearful trill
of things unknown but longed for still
and his tune is heard on the distant hill
for the caged bird sings of freedom.
and he names the sky his own.
But a caged bird stands on the grave of dreams
his shadow shouts on a nightmare scream
his wings are clipped and his feet are tied
so he opens his throat to sing.
The caged bird sings with a fearful trill
of things unknown but longed for still
and his tune is heard on the distant hill
for the caged bird sings of freedom.
