While in Ghana, Angelou met Malcolm X and returned to the United States to assist him in launching the Organization of Afro-American Unity. She later worked closely with Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and was active in the American civil rights movement. Her international experience and deep knowledge of African and African American cultures greatly informed her activism and writing.
Angelou achieved international acclaim with her 1969 memoir, I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings, which chronicled her early life and introduced themes of identity, racism, and resilience. Over her lifetime, she authored a total of seven autobiographical volumes, numerous poetry collections, plays, and essays. Angelou also appeared in films and television programs, and recorded spoken-word albums, earning multiple Grammy Awards for Best Spoken Word Album.
Throughout her career, Angelou received more than 50 honorary degrees and numerous prestigious awards, including the National Medal of Arts, the Lincoln Medal, and the Presidential Medal of Freedom, awarded by President Barack Obama in 2011. She served on two presidential committees and remained an influential voice across literature, performance, and public discourse.
Angelou was married twice—first to Tosh Angelos in 1951 and later to Paul du Feu in 1973. She also had a long-term relationship with South African freedom fighter Vusumzi Make, though they never married. Angelou was generally private about the total number of her marriages and divorces. Her only child, Guy Johnson, survived her. Maya Angelou passed away on May 28, 2014, leaving behind a rich legacy as a global renaissance woman—an educator, artist, activist, and profound literary force.
Return to the previous page| Birth Date: | 4 Apr, 1928 |
| Age: | 92 yrs |
| Citizenship: | United States of America |
| Birth Place: | St. Louis |
| residence: | St. Louis |
| Education: | George Washington High School California Labor School |
| Gender: | Female |
| Description: | American poet and author |
| Twitter Id: | DrMayaAngelou |
| Net Worth 2021: | 10 million |
