Maya Angelou Timeline

Maya Angelou is popular as the Black African-American actress, poet and author. She is recognized as an important figure in the American Civil Rights Movement. Her poems inspire the people because she emphasizes on looking to the future with hope and courage. Separation from her mom in her young age did not destroy her passion for life and her ability to find the pleasure in daily routine at Stamps, Arkansas. The Maya Angelou Timeline describes a young African-American woman’s discovery of self-confidence.

Maya Angelou Timeline

1928: Maya Angelou, originally known as Marguerite Ann Johnson was born in Saint Louis, Missouri on April 4, 1928. The name of her father was Bailey Johnson and her mother was Vivian Baxter Johnson.

1931: Her parents got separated and Maya and her brother came to Stamps, Arkansas to live with her grandmother, Mrs. Annie Henderson.

1935: They returned to their mother in St. Louis.

1937: Unfortunately, Maya was sexually abused. Her mother’s boyfriend, Mr. Freeman raped her. Maya was highly shocked and she became dumb. Both the children were sent back to their grandmother once again.

1941: Maya and her brother returned to San Francisco to live with their mother, where she attended the George Washington High School. She studied drama and dance on a scholarship at the California Labor School.

1942: Her teacher, Bertha Flowers helped her to talk again and increased her interest in literature.

1942: She dropped out of school to become San Francisco’s first African-American female cable car conductor in her teenage.

1943: Maya returned to high school, but she became pregnant and gave birth to a boy, Guy. She left her home to bring up her son as a single mother and she worked as a cook and waitress.

1952: She married a Greek sailor namely Tosh Angelos. However, her marriage failed soon. She started her career as a nightclub singer. During this period, she was recognized by the name Maya Angelou.

1957: She recorded the album, 'Calypso Lady'.

1958: Maya developed her skills in writing poetry and moved to New York. She joined the Harlem Writers Guild in New York.

1959: Maya got involved with the Civil Rights activists. She became the northern coordinator for the Southern Christian Leadership Conference at the request of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

1960: She met Vusumzi Make, the South African Civil Rights activist. Both of them, along with Guy moved to Cairo, Egypt in 1960. In Cairo, she worked as an editor of The Arab Observer, the weekly magazine published in English. Afterwards, she moved to Ghana.

1964: Maya Angelou returned to America in order to help Malcolm X build his new Organization of African-American Unity.

1968: Malcolm X was assassinated. Maya started working on her Autobiographical book ‘I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings’.

1970: Her Autobiographical book was published.

1973: Maya married Paul du Feu and both moved to Sonoma, California along with her son. Then she worked on her writing and acting.

1974: Her book ‘Gather Together in My Name’ was published.

1976: Her book ‘Signin’ and Swingin’ and ‘Gettin’ Merry Like Christmas’ was published.

1981: Her famous book ‘The Heart of a Woman’ was published. In the same year, she divorced Paul du Feu.

1984: Maya met well-known television personality Oprah Winfrey and became her mentor and friend.

1993: Maya read her poem ‘On the Pulse of Morning’ at the inauguration ceremony of President Bill Clinton.

1986/2002: 'All God’s Children Need Traveling Shoes’ and ‘A Song Flung Up to Heaven’ were published.

Awards and Prizes won by Maya Angelou

1970: Maya received the Chubb Fellowship Award, Yale University.

1972: She received the Pulitzer Prize nomination for ‘Just Give Me A Cool Drink of Water ’Fore I Die’.

1976: Received the Ladies’ Home Journal Award (Woman of the Year in communication)

1977: Received the Golden Eagle Award, Afro-American in the Arts

1986: Maya won the Fulbright Program 40th Anniversary Distinguished Lecturer Award.

1991: The Langston Hughes Medal was offered to Maya Angelou.

1993: Maya won the prestigious Grammy Award for ‘Best Spoken Word Album’ ‘On The Pulse of Morning’.

1996: Maya was offered the Martin Luther King, Jr. Legacy Association National Award.

2006: Maya Angelou received the Mother Teresa Award. In the same year, she hosted a weekly radio talk show for the first time for XM Satellite Radio’s Oprah & Friends channel.

2008: Maya Angelou was the first recipient of the Hope for Peace and Justice Voice of Peace Award.