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Birth
She was born in St. Louis, Missouri. -
Guardian
Due to her parents' divorce, she moved to live with her grandmother in Stamps, Arkansas. -
Sexual Assault
She was raped as a child by her mothers boyfriend and after he died she didn't speak for 5 years because she felt her voice killed the man and she only talked to her brother Bailey. -
Dance
She began taking dance lessons which further led her to audition for professional theatre. -
School
She graduated from Mission High School and later went on to California Labor School. -
Baby
3 weeks after she graduated high school she gave birth to a baby boy named Clyde (who later changed his name to guy Johnson). -
Marriage
She married Tosh Angelos who was an electrician in the US Navy. -
Divorce
She got divorced from Tosh Angelos. -
Book Release
Her first book, I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings, was released and detailed her life up until she was 17. -
Georgia Georgia
The film Georgia Georgia came out which she wrote. It was the first ever written by an African American to be filmed and she was nominated for the Pulitzer Prize. -
Grammy
Won a grammy award for the album Phenomenal Women. -
Presidential Medal of Arts
She was awarded the presidential medal of arts. -
Death
She passed away in her Winston, Salem home.