Maya Angelou by: Josh Eddy Maya Angelou is one of the most well-known African Americans of all time. She created poems, stood up to segregation, sang, danced, and spoke in front of crowds. She has influenced and inspired many people's lives. Maya Angelou was born Marguerite Annie Johnson in St. Louis, Missouri on April 4, 1928. She had a very odd and sad childhood. Her parents, Vivian and Bailey Johnson, divorced when little Maya was three. Maya stayed mostly at her grandmother's house with her brother, Bailey, in Stamps, Arkansas. She barely got to see her parents anymore. The person who could always cheer Maya up was her brother. Sometimes he'd tell her a joke, and sometimes he would just play with her. They always would have fun together. After her years in grade school, she went to the California Labor School and studied music and dance. She also performed and danced at theaters and restaurants. (Gillespie; Harper) When she was older, she switched her name to Maya instead of Marguerite because her brother used to call her "My" or " Myah". She also switched her last name to Angelou because her mentor suggested that her married last name be that instead of Angelos. In 1960, Maya moved to Cairo, Egypt with her son. She edited a newspaper called the Arab Observer. She studied and mastered five languages: French, Spanish, Italian, Fanti, and Arabic. She moved to Ghana and taught music and dance. She also worked for other newspapers there too. She moved back to America in 1964. She struggled with segregation, but helped in the struggle to ban it with her poems. Her poems made people aware about segregation. (Gillespie; Harper) Maya Angelou did many things to change the society. Her poems and speeches made everyone aware that segregation was cruel and not right. She was nominated for the Pulitzer Prize for her collection "Just Give Me a Cool Drink of Water 'Fore I Die." I chose her as my hero because she made great poems that I love and cherish. Maya Angelou encourages me to write more. Maya has changed the world in many ways. She supports many charities like UNICEF and others. She now teaches at Wake Forest University. She was named Reynolds Professor at the school. I think that Maya Angelou was the greatest poet of all time.

Greyday by: Maya Angelou The day hangs heavy loose and grey when you're away. A crown of thorns a shirt of hair is what I wear. No one knows my lonely heart when we're apart

Bibliography Maya Angelou: A Glorious Celebration. Gillespie, Butler, & Long Maya Angelou: Poetry for Young People. Edited by: Edwin Graves Wilson Journey to Freedom: Maya Angelou. Judith E. Harper .