Maya Angelou Timeline

By mabell25

  • Birth

    Maya Angelou was born Marguerite Annie Johnson in St. Louis, Missouri.

  • Childhood Trauma

    When she was about 8, she was raped by her mother's boyfriend. After the mother's boyfriend was killed, she became mute for a long time

  • Move to San Francisco

    Maya Angelou moved with her mother to San Francisco and worked intermittently as a cocktail waitress, a prostitute and madam, a cook, and a dancer.

  • First Child

    She gave birth to her only son, Clyde. He later changed his name to Guy Johnson.

  • First Marriage

    Angelou married Tosh Angelos. He was a Greek electrician, former sailor, and aspiring musician. The marriage ended in 1954

  • Move to New York

    Angelou moved to New York City and joined the Harlem Writers Guild, and she met many other African-American authors.

  • Joined Civil Rights Movement

    After meeting Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Angelou became an active participant in the Civil Rights Movement, and she was appointed as the Northern Coordinator for the Southern Christian Leadership Conference.

  • Moving to Afrca

    Maya moved to Ghana, where she worked as a journalist, and she was an administrator at the University of Ghana.

  • I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings Published

    Maya’s first autobiography, I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings, was published. It became a critical and commercial success, revealing her experiences with racism, trauma, and the search for identity.

  • Published First Poetry Collection

    Maya released Just Give Me a Cool Drink of Water ‘fore I Diiie, her first poetry collection, which was nominated for a Pulitzer Prize.

  • Second Marriage

    Maya Angelou married Paul du Feu. He is a Welsh builder, painter, author and model. The marriage ended in 1983.

  • Presidential Inauguration Poem

    During Bill Clinton's presidential inauguration, Maya Angelou recited her poem "On the Pulse of Morning". She is the first poet to recite a poem at an inauguration since Robert Frost at John F. Kennedy's inauguration in 1961.

  • Presidential Medal of Freedom

    Barack Obama awarded Maya Angelou with the Presidential Medal of Freedom.

  • Death

    Maya Angelou passed away at the age of 86. Her influence as a poet, author, activist, and educator continues to inspire generations around the world.