Education and Early Career

Angelou’s passion for the arts emerged during her youth. She received a scholarship to study dance and drama at the Labor School in San Francisco. At the age of 14, she temporarily left school to become the first African American female streetcar conductor in San Francisco. She later returned to continue her education and graduated from high school while pregnant with her son, Guy. As a young single mother, Angelou worked as a cook and waitress to support her family but continued to pursue opportunities in music, dance, and performance.

Rise in Performing Arts

From 1954 to 1955, Angelou toured Europe with a production of the opera Porgy and Bess. She trained in modern dance with Martha Graham and performed with Alvin Ailey in various productions. In 1957, she released her first album, Calypso Lady. She later moved to New York City, becoming active in the Harlem Writers Guild and appearing in notable stage productions, including The Blacks and Cabaret for Freedom.

International Work and Literary Breakthrough

In 1960, Angelou moved to Cairo, Egypt, where she served as the associate editor of The Arab Observer, an English-language newspaper. She subsequently relocated to Ghana and taught at the University of Ghana's School of Music and Drama. During her time there, she contributed to publications such as The Ghanaian Times and The African Review, and expanded her linguistic abilities by studying Arabic, Fanti, Italian, Spanish, and French.