I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou Introductory Notes

About the Author Dr. Maya Angelou was born Marguerite Ann Johnson on April 4, 1928 in St. Louis, Missouri (Maya is a nickname given to her by her brother who used to call her “my-a-sister”) She is a celebrated poet, memoirist, novelist, educator, dramatist, producer, actress, historian, filmmaker, and civil rights activist. As a teenager, Dr. Angelou’s love for the arts won her a scholarship to study dance and drama at San Francisco’s Labor School. At 14, she dropped out to become San Francisco’s first African-American female cable car conductor. She later finished high school, giving birth to her son, a few weeks after graduation In 1960, Dr. Angelou moved to Cairo, Egypt where she served as an editor. The next year, she moved to Ghana where she taught at the University of Ghana's School of Music and Drama. During her years abroad, Dr. Angelou read and studied voraciously, mastering French, Spanish, Italian, Arabic and the West African language Fanti. While in Ghana, she met with Malcolm X and, in 1964, returned to America to help him build his new Organization of African American Unity. Soon after X's assassination, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. asked Dr. Angelou to serve as Northern Coordinator for the Southern Christian Leadership Conference. With the guidance of a friend, she began work on the book that would become I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings. I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings was published to international acclaim and enormous popular success. The list of her published verse, non-fiction, and fiction now includes more than 30 bestselling titles. Her 1972 film script for Georgia, Georgia, the first by an African American woman ever to be filmed, was nominated for a Pulitzer Prize. Dr. Angelou has served on two presidential committees, was awarded the Presidential Medal of Arts in 2000, the Lincoln Medal in 2008, and has received 3 Grammy Awards. At President Bill Clinton’s request, she wrote and delivered a poem, “On the Pulse of Morning,” for his 1993 presidential inauguration, becoming only the second poet in American history to receive such an honor. Dr. Angelou has received over 30 honorary degrees and is Reynolds Professor of American Studies at Wake Forest University.

About the Book/Historical Context Angelou’s first of five autobiographies, published in 1969. I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings is Angelou’s most popular and critically acclaimed autobiography. Focuses on Maya Angelou’s first 17 years of life: Child to mother at age 17 The challenges she faced along the way Book can relate to teens today through the effects of: Emotional, sexual, and intellectual development Detailing of family relationships The struggle to overcome racism and prejudice in various forms The journey of self discovery Genre is Non-Fiction Autobiographical: includes fictional devices like dialogue and character development, themes, and motifs. The book also describes Angelou’s rise into activism. She has remained a civil-rights activist throughout her life, earning respect from prominent figures such as Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., President Gerald Ford, and President Jimmy Carter.

Characters Maya Angelou - Writes about her experiences growing up as a black girl in the rural South and in the cities of St. Louis, Los Angeles, and San Francisco. Maya has an unusual degree of curiosity and perceptiveness. Haunted by her displacement from her biological parents and her sense that she is ugly, Maya often isolates herself, escaping into her reading. Angelou’s autobiography traces the start of her development into an independent, wise, and compassionate woman. Bailey Johnson, Jr. - Maya’s older brother. Like Maya, he is intelligent and mature beyond his age. Though Bailey enjoys sports and fares well in social situations, he also shows deep compassion for his isolated sister. Annie Henderson - (Momma) Maya and Bailey’s paternal grandmother. Momma raises them for most of their childhood. She owns the only store in the black section of Stamps, Arkansas, and it serves as the central gathering place for the black community. Vivian Baxter - Bailey and Maya’s mother. Although she has a nursing degree, she earns most of her money working in gambling parlors or by gambling herself. Though Vivian and Momma have very different values, they are both strong, supportive women. Big Bailey Johnson - Maya and Bailey’s father. Despite his lively personality, he is handsome, vain, and selfish. He stands out among the other rural blacks because of his proper English and his flashy possessions. Willie Johnson - Momma’s son, who is in his thirties. Injured in a childhood accident, Uncle Willie lives his entire life with Momma. He suffers insults and jokes because of his disability. Daddy Clidell - Vivian’s second husband, whom she marries after her children join her in California. Although Maya initially tries to dismiss him, Daddy Clidell becomes the only real “father” Maya knows. Mr. Freeman - Vivian’s live-in boyfriend in St. Louis. When Maya and Bailey move to St. Louis, Mr. Freeman sexually molests and rapes Maya, taking advantage of her need for physical affection and her innocent, self-conscious nature. Mrs. Bertha Flowers - A black aristocrat living in Stamps, Arkansas. One of Maya’s idols, she becomes the first person to prod Maya out of her silence after Maya’s rape, taking an interest in Maya and making her feel special. Mrs. Viola Cullinan - A Southern white woman in Stamps and Maya’s first employer. Perhaps unwittingly, she hides her racism under a self-deceptive veneer of gentility. Dolores Stockland - Big Bailey’s prim-and-proper live-in girlfriend in Los Angeles. Maya spends the summer with them when she is fifteen and drives Dolores into a jealous rage. Miss Kirwin - Maya’s teacher in San Francisco. Miss Kirwin treats Maya like an equal human being, regardless of her color.

Setting 1930s Rural South 1940s California Stamps, Arkansas St. Louis, Missouri 1940s California Los Angeles San Fransisco

Themes Illusion vs. Reality Coming of Age Family Unity Abuse/Child Abuse Gender Roles Discrimination & Prejudice Racism/Sexism Sexuality (Rape) Activism

Questions to Ponder Why has this book had such a lasting impact? What significance does it hold for me? How does literature reflect, challenge, or define notions of our identity our culture our history and our philosophies? How do the different races interact? Does Angelou want us to form judgments about races as single entities? What do we learn about social class?