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Home , Down in the Delta, Letter to My Daughter, Miss Calypso, On the Pulse of Morning

Authors: By Biography.com Editors and A+E Networks, adapted by Newsela staff on 08.08.16 Word Count 920

Maya Angelou reciting her poem "" at President 's inauguration in 1993. Courtesy, William J. Clinton Presidential Library

Synopsis: Writer and civil rights activist Maya Angelou was born on April 4, 1928, in St. Louis, Missouri. Her autobiographical novel, "I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings," is perhaps her best-known work. Written in 1969, the book made literary history as the first nonfiction best seller by an African-American woman. Her accomplishments also ranged beyond writing, as she gained recognition as an actress, screenwriter, film director, dancer and singer.

Early Years

Born Marguerite Annie Johnson, Maya Angelou had a difficult childhood. Her parents separated when she was very young, and she and her older brother, Bailey, were sent to live with their father's mother, Anne Henderson, in Stamps, Arkansas. As an African- American, Angelou experienced profound racial prejudice and discrimination. Around the age of 7, she also suffered at the hands of a family associate. During a visit with her mother, Angelou was raped by her mother's boyfriend. The man was then killed by Angelou's uncles as vengeance for the sexual assault. Angelou was so upset by the experience that she stopped talking, and indeed hardly spoke a word for years.

This article is available at 5 reading levels at https://newsela.com. 1 During the time of World War II, Angelou moved to San Francisco where she studied dance and acting. There, Angelou became the first black female cable car conductor, a job she held only briefly. In 1944, a 16-year-old Angelou gave birth to a son, Guy, following a short-lived high school relationship. Thereafter, she worked a number of jobs to support herself and her child. In 1952, she wed Anastasios Angelopulos, a Greek sailor from whom she took her professional name — a blend of her childhood nickname, "Maya," and a shortened version of his surname.

Career Beginnings

In the mid-1950s, Angelou's career as a performer began to take off. She landed a role in a touring production of "," and later appeared in the off-Broadway production "Calypso Heat Wave" (1957). Her talents extended to music as she released her first record album in 1957, entitled "." In 1961, Angelou appeared in another off-Broadway production, Jean Genet's "The Blacks," with , Louis Gossett, Jr. and Cicely Tyson. The play was a reenactment of a mock murder trial, which provided a setting for the exploration of racial prejudice and black identity.

Although the performance earned strong reviews, Angelou chose to move on to other pursuits. She spent much of the 1960s abroad, first in Egypt and then in Ghana, working as an editor and a freelance writer. For a time, Angelou also taught at the University of Ghana. After returning to the United States, she was urged by James Baldwin, her friend and a highly influential writer, to write about her life experiences. Her efforts resulted in "I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings," the enormously successful 1969 book about her childhood and young adult years. The heart-wrenching work made Angelou an international star.

After publishing "Caged Bird," Angelou continued to break new ground, not just artistically but socially as well. She become the first African-American woman to have a screenplay produced after writing the drama "Georgia, Georgia" in 1972. She then went on to earn a Tony Award nomination for her role in the play "Look Away" (1973). After that, she obtained an Emmy Award nomination for her work on the television miniseries "Roots" (1977).

Later Successes

Angelou wrote several autobiographies throughout her career, including "All God's Children Need Traveling Shoes" (1986) and "A Song Flung Up to Heaven" (2002). However, 1969's "I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings" continues to be her most popular autobiographical work. She also published several collections of poetry, including the Pulitzer Prize-nominated "Just Give Me a Cool Drink of Water 'Fore I Diiie" (1971).

One of Angelou's most famous works is the poem "On the Pulse of Morning," which she wrote especially for and recited at President Bill Clinton's inaugural ceremony in January 1993. Angelou went on to win a Grammy Award for the audio version of the poem.

This article is available at 5 reading levels at https://newsela.com. 2 In 1995, Angelou was lauded for remaining on The New York Times' paperback nonfiction best-seller list for two years - the longest run in the chart's history. Seeking new creative challenges, Angelou made her directorial debut in 1998 with the film "," starring . She also wrote a number of inspirational works, from the essay collection "Wouldn't Take Nothing for My Journey Now" (1993) to her advice for young women in "" (2008).

Angelou received numerous awards throughout her career, including the Chicago International Film Festival's 1998 Audience Choice Award and a nod from the Acapulco Black Film Festival in 1999 for "Down in the Delta." She also won two NAACP Image Awards, one for her 2005 cookbook "Hallelujah! The Welcome Table: A Lifetime of Memories With Recipes" and another for 2008's "Letter to My Daughter."

In 2011, President awarded Angelou the nation's highest civilian honor, the Presidential Medal of Freedom.

After experiencing health problems for a number of years, Angelou died on May 28, 2014, at her home in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. The news of her passing spread quickly, with many people taking to social media to mourn and remember her. Singer Mary J. Blige and politician Cory Booker were among those who tweeted their favorite quotes by her in tribute. President Barack Obama also issued a statement about Angelou, calling her "a brilliant writer" and "a fierce friend." He wrote that Angelou "had the ability to remind us that we are all God's children; that we all have something to offer."

This article is available at 5 reading levels at https://newsela.com. 3 Quiz

1 Which idea is supported by the text in the section "Early Years"?

(A) Angelou devoted her career to speaking out against discrimination.

(B) Despite a difficult childhood, Angelou was determined to be successful in her career.

(C) Angelou worked many different jobs until her acting career took off.

(D) After being subjected to discrimination, Angelou knew that she wanted to write about her experiences.

2 Read the following excerpt from the text.

After returning to the United States, she was urged by James Baldwin, her friend and a highly influential writer, to write about her life experiences.

Which sentence from the article BEST supports the statement above?

(A) After publishing "Caged Bird," Angelou continued to break new ground, not just artistically but socially as well.

(B) Angelou wrote several autobiographies throughout her career, including "All God's Children Need Traveling Shoes" (1986) and "A Song Flung Up to Heaven" (2002).

(C) One of Angelou's most famous works is the poem "On the Pulse of Morning," which she wrote especially for and recited at President Bill Clinton's inaugural ceremony in January 1993.

(D) In 1995, Angelou was lauded for remaining on The New York Times' paperback nonfiction best-seller list for two years - the longest run in the chart's history.

This article is available at 5 reading levels at https://newsela.com. 4 3 Which of the following sentences BEST develops a central idea of the article?

(A) In 1952, she wed Anastasios Angelopulos, a Greek sailor from whom she took her professional name — a blend of her childhood nickname, "Maya," and a shortened version of his surname.

(B) In the mid-1950s, Angelou's career as a performer began to take off. She landed a role in a touring production of "Porgy and Bess," and later appeared in the off-Broadway production "Calypso Heat Wave" (1957).

(C) She become the first African-American woman to have a screenplay produced after writing the drama "Georgia, Georgia" in 1972.

(D) Angelou received numerous awards throughout her career, including the Chicago International Film Festival's 1998 Audience Choice Award and a nod from the Acapulco Black Film Festival in 1999 for "Down in the Delta."

4 Which of the following answer choices represents the central idea of the section "Career Beginnings"?

(A) Angelou chose to move abroad after dissatisfied with the acting industry.

(B) Although a talented actress, Angelou's plays were not highly reviewed.

(C) After achieving success in her acting career, Angelou decided to pursue writing.

(D) Angelou's successful publication of her first novel led her to quit her acting career.

This article is available at 5 reading levels at https://newsela.com. 5