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Birthdate
Maya Angelou was born Saint Louis, Missouri as Marguerite Ann Johnson. -
Divorce of her parents
(Not a specific date) Maya and her brother were sent to live with her father's mother, Mrs. Annie Henderson, in Stamps, Arkansas. -
The beginning of her silence
(Not a specific date) Maya was sexually abused and raped by her mother's boyfriend, Mr. Freeman. -
Move to San Francisco
(Not a specific date) Maya and her brother returned to live with her mother in San Francisco where she attended George Washington High School and studied dance and drama on a scholarship at the California Labor School -
Marguerite to Maya
(Not a specific date) Maya began working as a nightclub singer. She took on the stage name Maya Angelou, and the name stuck. -
Move to New York
(Not a specific date) Maya began writing poetry. Soon she had moved to New York where she joined the Writer's Guild. -
Civil Rights Movement Begins
(Not a specific date) Maya worked diligently with Civil Rights activists. She became the coordinator for the Southern Christian Leadership Council. -
First Book
(Not a specific date) After working on it for a few years, Maya puts out her autobiography I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings. It was a huge success. -
Inauguration Poem
Maya is asked to read her poetry at the inauguration of President Bill Clinton. She read On The Pulse of Morning. -
Mother Teresa Award
(Not a specific date) Maya went on to receive numerous awards for her service to the world. One of them was the Mother Teresa Award, and another was the NAACP award. She continues to write and touch others with her heartfelt and soul-searching works. -
Death
Maya Angelou died at the age of 86 at Winston-Salem, NC