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Birth
Born on April 4, 1928 in St. Louis, Missouri. Birth name: Marguerite Annie Johnson -
Maya becomes the name
The nickname sticks -
Worked with Martin Luther King Jr.
Was a huge advocate for Civil Rights and started lectures for it while working with Martin Luther King Jr. -
Writes "I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings"
Gains international recognition for it and claims her fame -
Wrote "Gather Together in My Name"
Continuation of autobiographical fiction -
First African American Female in the Directors Guild of America
Joined right after she wrote "Georgia, Georgia" in 1972 -
Wrote "Singin’ and Swingin’ and Gettin’ Merry Like Christmas"
Continuation of autobiographical fiction -
Wrote "The Heart of a Woman"
Continuation of autobiographical fiction -
First Reynolds Professor of American Studies at Wake Forest University in Winston-Salem, North Carolina
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Wrote "All God’s Children Need Traveling Shoes"
Continuation of autobiographical fiction -
Recited "On the Pulse of Morning" at Clinton's inauguration
First person to recite a poem at an inauguration since Robert Frost did at John F. Kennedy's inauguration in 1961 -
Grammy awards
Three grammy wins and five nominations) for best spoken word albums — in 1993, 1995 and 2002, for On The Pulse Of Morning, Phenomenal Woman, and A Song Flung Up To Heaven, respectively -
Director of "Down in the Delta"
Director was one of her careers. -
Wrote "Letter to My Daughter"
Continuation of her autobiographical fiction -
Wrote "Mom & Me & Mom"
Continuation of her autobiographical fiction -
Death
Died May 28, 2014 at the age of 86 in Winston-Salem, North Carolina