Maya Angelou Worksheets Maya Angelou

Maya Angelou was an African-American who had an extensive career as a poet, essayist, memoirist, singer, actress, playwright, educator, and civil rights activist. She published seven autobiographies, for which she is most famous for. She was also a published author of three collections of essays and several books of poetry as well as scripts for plays, movies, and television shows.

Early Life ▪ Maya Angelou was born Marguerite Annie Johnson on April 4, 1928 in St. Louis, Missouri. ▪ She was the second child of Bailey Johnson and Vivian Baxter Johnson. ▪ She has an older brother named Bailey Johnson Jr. ▪ Her brother Bailey Jr. gave her the nickname of Maya from the term “My”

or “Mya Sister.” KIDSKONNECT.COM Maya Angelou ▪ Her parents separated when she was three years old. ▪ Following her parents’ separation, Maya’s childhood was mostly spent in Stamps, Arkansas - the home of her paternal grandmother. ▪ Before she turned eight, she was returned to her mother’s care in St. Louis, where he was sexually assaulted by her mother’s boyfriend. ▪ Maya told of the rape to her brother who told the rest of the family. ▪ Her mother’s boyfriend was put in jail for one day. ▪ He was murdered shortly after his release, leaving Maya traumatized and mute for several years. ▪ She and her brother was sent back to her grandmother. ▪ It was during this time when Maya met Mrs. Bertha Flowers, the teacher who Maya credits for helping her regain her voice. ▪ In 1940, Maya and her mother moved to San Francisco, California. ▪ In San Francisco, Maya took up various jobs, such as being a cocktail waitress, a cook, a dancer, and a prostitute. ▪ At 16 years old, Maya was the first female African-American cable car conductor in San Francisco.

Literary Works ▪ Her first work entitled I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings (1969) is a memoir focused on Maya’s childhood experiences, particularly that of the sexual assault she experienced. ▪ I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings earned her international acclaim and got nominated for a National Book Award. ▪ Her first autobiography was followed by six more autobiographies: Gather Together in My Name (1974), Singin’ and Swingin’ and Gettin’ Merry like Christmas (1976), The Heart of a Woman (1981); All God’s Children Need Traveling Shoes (1986); Song Flung up to Heaven (2002); and Mom & Me & Mom (2013). KIDSKONNECT.COM Maya Angelou ▪ She has published several collections of poems, namely Just Give Me a Cool Drink of Water ’fore I Diiie (1971), And Still I Rise (1978), Now Sheba Sings the Song (1987), and I Shall Not Be Moved (1990). ▪ She also wrote children’s books like My Painted House, My Friendly Chicken and Me (1994), and collections of essays like Wouldn’t Take Nothing for My Journey Now (1993) and Letter to My Daughter

(2008). Broad Career

▪ In the 1950s, Maya Angelou moved to New York City and assumed the name “Maya Angelou” combining her childhood nickname and her then-husband’s surname. ▪ Angelou joined the Harlem Writers’ Guild where she got support for her literary talent. ▪ She also landed a featured role in a George Gershwin’s opera Porgy and Bess, with whose troupe she toured 22 countries in Europe and Africa. Maya Angelou reciting her ▪ She continued her acting career poem "On the Pulse of by performing in Jean Genet’s Morning" at President Bill Clinton's inauguration in 1993 play “The Blacks” in 1961.

▪ She moved to Cairo in that same year as persuaded by a South African dissident to whom she was married. ▪ In Cairo, she worked for the Arab Observer. ▪ She later on worked for The African Review when she moved to Ghana. ▪ In 1966, she returned to California. KIDSKONNECT.COM Maya Angelou ▪ She wrote a television show about African culture in America entitled Black, Blues, Black which aired in 1968. ▪ In 1972, she wrote the screenplay for the film Georgia, Georgia and became one of the first African-American female writers whose screenplays were created into a feature film. ▪ She joined the Directors Guild of America in 1975 and was one of the guild’s first African-American female members. ▪ Maya Angelou also acted in television series and films such as Poetic Justice (1993) and How to Make an American Quilt (1995). ▪ She was nominated for a Tony Award for her performance in Look Away (1973). ▪ She directed her first film Down in the Delta which was released in 1998. ▪ Documentary films have been made on Maya Angelou’s life namely Maya Angelou and Still I Rise. ▪ Maya Angelou began her teaching career as a professor of American studies at Wake Forest President Barack Obama University, Winston-Salem, North presenting Maya Angelou with the Carolina in 1981 despite her lack Presidential Medal of Freedom of a college education. Honors and Awards ▪ She was invited to write and deliver her poem, On the Pulse of Morning, for the inauguration of President Bill Clinton in 1993. ▪ Maya Angelou’s poem A Brave and Startling Truth was written in celebration of the 50th anniversary of the United Nations in 1995.

KIDSKONNECT.COM Maya Angelou ▪ Her poem His Day Is Done is an elegy to South African leader Nelson Mandela which was released in the wake of his death. ▪ In 1991, Maya Angelou was awarded the Langston Hughes Medal. ▪ In 1992, Maya received the Women in Film Crystal Award. ▪ In 1994, Maya was the recipient of the Spingarn Medal. ▪ In 2011, she was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom presented by President Barack Obama. ▪ In 2013, she received the Literarian Award, an honorary National Book Award.

Personal Life and Death ▪ She had one son named Guy Johnson. ▪ She died on May 28, 2014 in Winston-Salem, North Carolina.

KIDSKONNECT.COM Name: ______Maya’s Profile Fill out this Introduction page of Maya Angelou. Fill in the blanks as if you are Maya. Write from her perspective.

BIRTH NAME

HOMETOWN

FAMILY BACKGROUND

SIGNIFICANT CHILDHOOD EVENTS

KIDSKONNECT.COM Name: ______Life Road Map How are the following places significant to Maya Angelou? Cite specific events that happened in Maya’s life in these places.

St. Louis, Missouri ______

Stamps, Arkansas ______

San Francisco, California ______

New York ______KIDSKONNECT.COM Name: ______Book Title Crossword

Complete the crossword puzzle by supplying the word that will complete Maya Angelou’s book title.

ACROSS DOWN

2. All God’s Children Need 1. My Painted House, Traveling _____ My Friendly _____ and Me

3. Wouldn’t Take Nothing For 3. _____ Flung up to Heaven My _____ Now 4. The Heart of a _____

5. Gather Together In My _____ 7. Mom & Me & _____

KIDSKONNECT.COM Name: ______Book Cover Familiarize yourself with the following autobiographies by Maya Angelou. Draw an appropriate book cover for each of them. Be as creative as you can!

I KNOW WHY THE CAGED BIRD SINGS

LETTER TO MY DAUGHTER

KIDSKONNECT.COM Name: ______Right Choice Recall what you’ve learned about Maya Angelou by answering the following questions. Encircle the letter of the best answer.

What is Maya Angelou’s first What play did Maya Angelou book? earn a Tony Award for?

A. I Know Why The Caged A. Look Back Bird Sings B. Look Away B. And Still I Rise

What university did Maya What is the name of Maya Angelou first teach in? Angelou’s son?

A. Gunn Johnson A. One Forest University B. Guy Johnson B. Wake Forest University

What is the name of the At what age did Maya leader to whom Maya Angelou die? Angelou write an elegy for? A. 86 years old A. Martin Luther King, Jr. B. 96 years old B. Nelson Mandela

What film did Maya Angelou write that made her one of the first African-American female screenplay writers?

A. Atlanta, Georgia B. Georgia, Georgia

KIDSKONNECT.COM Name: ______Angelou’s Awards Make a list of the awards that Maya Angelou received over the years. Make another list of the titles she has earned. An example is given for both.

AWARDS

______

TITLES

______

KIDSKONNECT.COM Name: ______Timeline Making Make a mini-timeline of Maya Angelou’s life and career. Choose five events that you think define Maya’s life the most. Write the specific year when it happened.

______YEAR ______

KIDSKONNECT.COM Name: ______Poetry Analysis

Read the poem “Harlem Hopscotch” by African-American poet Maya Angelou then answer the following questions.

“HARLEM HOPSCOTCH” One foot down, then hop! It's hot. Good things for the ones that's got. Another jump, now to the left. Everybody for hisself.

In the air, now both feet down. Since you black, don't stick around. Food is gone, the rent is due, Curse and cry and then jump two.

All the people out of work, Hold for three, then twist and jerk. Cross the line, they count you out. That's what hopping's all about.

Both feet flat, the game is done. They think I lost. I think I won.

Why do you think the poem is entitled Harlem Hopscotch? ______After reading the poem, what do you think ‘hopscotch’ is a metaphor for? Why? ______KIDSKONNECT.COM Name: ______What Would Maya Say? Reflect on Maya Angelou’s convictions and principles then complete the following quotes according to what she would say.

Children must be... ______Women are... ______Life experiences are a source of... ______Courage is... ______

KIDSKONNECT.COM Name: ______Art About Angelou Various artists have made art inspired by Maya Angelou’s works. Get inspiration from the samples of art displayed below. Make your own art about Maya Angelou based on any work of hers.

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