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Marguerite Annie Johnson Angelou known as Maya Angelou was a black African-American women who didn’t like racism between black and white people, though it was hard growing up being mistreated she would always stay as positive as she can. Maya was born on April 4, 1928 in St. Louis, Missouri, United States. She had a family of four. Her mother Vivian Baxter Johnson, her father Bailey Johnson and her older brother Bailey Johnson Jr. Growing up in the Johnson family was hard. They were a poor family and had a difficult life being different coloured skin from others. Rather than their race being a pain her parents got divorced when Maya was only three years old. Without a choice both her and her brother were sent to their fathers mother (Grandmother) Anna Henderson, at Stamps, Arkansas. Living without her parents was rough going through many different things. However Anna would act like Maya's mother, when Anna would go to work at a store Maya would go with her, she would always see many black people gathering together as a team. This helped Maya think that she can change the world. After many years gone by when Maya was at age of 7 her and her brother had a chance to go and see their mother. Sadly, it didn’t go well, later after talking to her mother, her mother’s boyfriend named Freeman sexually abused and raped Maya. Immediately Maya’s overprotected uncle found out and decided to kill Freeman who raped Maya. As fast as possible Maya Angelou went back to Arkansas and was in virtual mute for over five years. Eventually Maya then went to school. She went to California Labor School even though she was living a difficult life Maya would try to be as confident as she possibly could. She was a brilliant student and would always try her finest. Later Maya passed middle school and went to George Washington High School again she was a smart student and would get high grades. However, she decided to drop school to become San Francisco’s First African American Female streetcar conductor in 1940’s. She may have been successful but then got pregnant in her senior year of high school. She went through a lot and later had her child named Guy. Once she had her son in 1945 and later a couple of weeks she Graduated high school and won a scholarship to study dance and drama. The father of Guy was not with Maya anymore as they didn’t love each other. Maya then chose to leave her home and go and raise her child by herself at the age of 16, when Guy was only two months old.
Her mother was not upset at her and loved Guy. Vivian would call this the best thing that happened and would always act like she is there to help. Maya was a single mom and had to raise her child by herself without a father. It was extremely difficult but she tried to best to keep working, dancing and sing songs, but still she knew that she can go home to her mom Vivian Baxter at any time. As much as she wanted to raise her child she still tried her best to continue being a American poet, Author, Actor, Professor, Film director, Musician, Journalist, Playwright, Screenwriter, and a Film Producer. Nothing stopped Maya, she always had faith in herself so she created a autobiography called I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings in 1969 which made her the first nonfiction best-seller by an African-American woman. Maya Angelou not only created book, songs and created films but she remembered going to her Grandmother's work and seeing many black people get together, which gave her the thought to join a group called the Black Art Movement and to inspire generations of people to stand up for what was right and to talk about the importance it is that black people should have the same rights as everyone else no matter what their race is. In 1964 Maya Angelou decided to go back to America because she wanted to help Malcolm X to build his new Organization of African American Unity. Which helped her become contributor to the Civil Rights as a fundraiser and an organizer. Afterwards Maya Angelou started having a better connection with Malcolm X and started to love becoming a Civil Activist. But downhearted Malcolm X died on Maya's birthday in 1968 which made Maya Angelou stop celebrating her birthday for years. Following this tragic experience for Maya she didn't want to stop, she wanted to continue helping others. So she involved herself in Television Productions and stayed in the Civil Rights Movement working closer with Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. In 1960 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr he requested Maya to become the Northern Coordinator for the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, this made her a Civil Activist. Everyone was so proud of Maya Angelou's work and is still proud to this day. She then created a huge film called Georgia, Georgia that also made her the First African-American women. Maya won several awards in the horrifying successful life and then won another award is 1990 which was handed to Maya by Oprah Winfrey. She won the American Academy of Achievement Golden Plate Award. Later a year went by she got given the Langston Hughes medal in 1991 and other medal in 1994 called the Spingarn award. After numerous years she earned 2 NAACP Image Awards in the literary work (non-fiction) category in 2005 and 2009 and one of her biggest awards given by President Barack Obama, 2010 Presidential Medal of Freedom award on February 15, 2011.
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