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Birth
Maya Angelou is born as "Marguerite Johnson" in St Louis, Missouri -
Raped by Mother's Boyfriend
Angelou was sexually abused and raped by her mother's boyfriend. This event made Maya mute. -
Moved to San Francisco
Angelou moved with her family to San Francisco -
Dropped out of High School
Angelou dropped out of high school to become San Francisco's first African American female car conductor -
Had First Child
While in her final year of high school, Angelou became pregnant and gave birth to her son, Guy, a few weeks after graduating -
Began Career as Nightclub Singer
Angelou began her career as a nightclub singer, which is when she took the name Maya Angelou -
Beginning of Writing Career
Joined Harlem Writers Guild after moving to New York and developing her writing skills in poetry -
Beginning of Activism
Became involved with Civil Rights Activists and became the northern coordinator for the Southern Christian Leadership Conference -
Life in Africa
Met Vusumzi Make and moved with him and her son, Guy, to Cairo, Egypt. They later moved to Ghana -
Return to America
Angelou returned to America to help Malcom X build the Organization of African American Unity -
Autobiography Published
Published her autobiography titles "I Know Why the Caged Birds Sing" -
Langston Hughes Medal
Received the Langston Hughes Medal for African American heritage writers -
Grammy
Received a Grammy award for Best Spoken Word Album for "On the Pulse of Morning" -
Mother Theresa Award
Received the Mother Theresa Award for her service to humanity -
Death
Maya Angelou passed away at the age of 86