Maya Angelou Research Paper

1072 Words5 Pages

“There is no greater agony than bearing an untold story inside you” Angelou expressed. Maya Angelou was a famous American poet, memoirist, and civil rights activist.Throughout her lifetime Maya starred in movies, wrote many poems, autobiographies, and essay books. She never wanted to hold anything back, whatever was on her mind she always wanted to write it down or announce it out loud. She loved the feeling of being able to express herself. With the mindset Maya had she was always qualified to come up with things to write about. Maya was born in St. Louis, Missouri on April 4, 1928, as Marguerite Ann Johnson (Moore). At the age of three her parents split apart. As a single parent Maya’s mother couldn’t take care of her and her brother Bailey …show more content…

But she later returned to high school and became pregnant with her son Guy, by her high school lover. Over time the young couple eventually split. She then left home at the age of 16 and began her life as a single mother, implementing long and hard hours as a waitress (Angelou. I Know Why.... 29) Years passed and in 1952 she married a man named Anastasios Angelopulos. She met him while pursuing her career as a nightclub singer. Maya subsequently took upon her stage name as Maya Angelou, apart of her childhood nickname and part of her husband's name. Although the married couple did not last long, she was thriving so well with the name Maya Angelou she maintained it after they split (Winfrey. 29). She began starring in many television shows and performing on broadway. Maya then moved to New York where she fell in love with a South African civil rights activist named Vusumzi Make. The married couple including Guy later moved to Cairo, Egypt. There Maya was an editor for the english weekly named “The Arab Observer.” (Moore) Soon Maya and her son moved to Ghana where she worked as the assistant administrator at Ghana’s School of music and drama. She also worked as an editor and wrote for the newspaper as well as the Ghanaian broadcasting company (Winfrey.