Renowned author, activist, and poet, Maya Angelou is a woman of extraordinary talent and strength. Angelou is recognized as a significant historical figure amongst American culture and literature, becoming a prominent role model for thousands of women across the world, and embodying a symbol for hope and success for people of color. Maya’s beginnings were humble, moving from Missouri to Arkansas due to conflict within her home, during which she found comfort in literature, consequentially, sparking her passion for the written word. Throughout her career, Angelou achieved remarkable success, leaving behind an everlasting legacy. Her fame is cemented by her infamous autobiography, I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings, which propelled Angelou into the spotlight, becoming the first Black …show more content…
An outcast is defined as one who is rejected and looked down upon by society. Facing countless challenges in her life, Angelou found society to be unforgiving as she faced prolonged discrimination, assault, and motherhood. Marguerite Ann Johnson, later known as Maya Angelou, was born on the fourth of April 1928, in St. Louis, Missouri. Maya’s childhood was far from perfect, around the age of seven Angelou’s life would change for the worse. For context, see an article by Dr. Kelly A. Spring, which delves into the life of Maya Angelou, writes, “Returning to her mother’s care briefly at the age of seven, Angelou was raped by her mother’s boyfriend” (Spring 2017). To clarify, by the time Maya was three, her parents’ marriage had become tumultuous, leading to a troubling divorce. The chaos brought forth by the divorce prompted Maya’s parents Angelou and her older brother Bailey Jr. to live with their paternal grandmother, Anne Henderson, in Stamps, Arkansas. While living with their grandmother, Bailey Jr. would give Marguerite her infamous nickname and later professional name,