Maya Angelou

Maya "Mrs. Phloem" Angelou

Hi! My name is Mrs. Phloem. But today, you can call me Maya Angelou!

You may know me as a civil rights activist, or for my poem “Still I Rise!”

I was born in St. Louis, Missouri on April 4th, 1928 and passed May 28th, 2014.

In 1941, during World War II, I received a scholarship to study dance and acting at the California Labor School.

During this time, I also became the first black female Cable Car Conductor in San Francisco.

In the 1950’s is when my career as a performer began to take off.

First, I went on tour with the production of “Porgy and Bess”!

Then, in 1957, I was in the off-Broadway production “Calypso Heat Wave” and released my first album named “Miss Calypso.”

After spending a few years in Ghana, I began working with human rights activist and Black Nationalist, Malcolm X. I then returned to the states in 1964, helping Malcom X establish the “Organization of Afro American Unity.”

In 1969, I released my most famous book, “I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings.” This became the first bestseller by an African American Woman!

In 1972, I became the first African American Woman to have my screenplay produced which was named “Georgia, Georgia.”

In 1973, I received a Tony Award Nomination for my role in the play “Look Away” and in 1997 I received an Emmy Award Nomination for my work on the tv miniseries “Roots”.

I received 2 NAACP Image Awards in 2005 and 2008.

Today, I am Maya Angelou, and so are you!