Maya Angelou was born on April 4, 1928 in St. Louis, Missouri, USA. She is an African America poet, actress and an important figure in the American Civil Rights Movement. She is best known for her book "I know why the caged bird sings." In 1993, Maya Angelou read her poem "On the pulse of Morning" for Bill Clinton's Presidential inauguration. Maya Angelou had a tough childhood. Her father, Bailey Johnson and her mother was Vivian Baxter. She …showed first 75 words of 336 total…

…showed last 75 words of 336 total…young black people to do the same. Her contributing to the poetry is immense. Having won honor numerous of times and in 1981 was appointed to a lifetime position as the first Reynolds Professor of American Studies at Wake Forest University. She captures readers with her grace, passion and perception. She is one of the heroes in the black communities. At the age of 80s, she still travels around the world, spreading her wisdom and poems.