About ...

Maya Angelou was an American author, poet, civil rights activist, journalist, actor, director, and producer of plays, movies, and public television programs. Her works center on themes such as racism, identity, family, and travel. She created over 75 works in her lifetime.

Maya Angelou received dozens of awards and more than 50 honorary degrees. She was respected as a spokesperson for black people and women, and her works have been considered a defense of Black culture.

Special Facts ...

• First African-American woman to have a best-selling nonfiction book, I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings
• Worked closely with Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.