 Born Marguerite Annie Johnson in 1928 in St. Louis, MO  Raised in Arkansas  Gave birth to a son (Guy) at the age of 16  Attended California Labor School in San Francisco on a dance/acting scholarship  Poet, writer, actress, director, civil rights leader, teacher!  Died in 2014 in North Carolina

 First African American woman to publish a nonfiction NY Times bestseller – I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings  1971 – Nominated for Pulitzer Prize for poetry  1993 – wrote & delivered poem, “On the Pulse of the Morning” at inauguration of President Bill Clinton  Won Grammy for audio version of poem

 After parents split up, lived with grandmother in Arkansas  Raped by mother’s boyfriend when she was 7 yrs old  Uncles took revenge & killed boyfriend  Trauma left Maya mute for years  Struggled with poverty in her teens & early 20s  Had child at 16

 “She had the ability to remind us that we are all God's children; that we all have something to offer.” – President Obama  “She moved through the world with unshakeable calm, confidence and a fierce grace.” – Oprah Winfrey