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Birth
Maya Angelou is born in St. Louis, MO and was originally given the name Marguerite Annie Johnson. -
Rape
Maya is raped and becomes mute out of fear for about five years as a result. -
Gets her speech back
After the trauma, Maya is finally able to get her speech back through help of her English teacher. She is also encouraged by her to pursue literature. -
High School struggles
Maya drops out of high school to become San Francisco's first African-American female cable car conductor. She then went back to high school, but had to quickly resign again after having her first child, Guy. -
MLK Jr.'s Request is Granted
Maya became the Northern coordinator for the Southern Christian Leadership Conference When Martin Luther King Jr. asked her to do so. -
Cairo
Maya moved to Cairo with a guy she met before moving to Ghana. -
Returning to the States
Maya returns to the United States to help Malcolm X build an African-American Unity organization. -
Book Publication
I Know Why the Caged Bird is published. -
Langston Hughes Medal
Maya receives the Langston Hughes Medal. -
MLK Jr. Award
Maya receives the Martin Luther King Jr. Legacy Association National award. -
Mother Theresa Award
Maya receives the Mother Theresa award. -
Death
Maya Angelou dies at the age of 86 in Winston-Salem, NC.