Who is Maya Angelou?
Maya Angelou was born in St. Louis, Missouri, on April 4, 1928. She is an author, poet, historian, songwriter, playwright, dancer, stage and screen producer, director, performer, singer, and civil rights activist. Maya Angelou is the first black woman director in Hollywood, she has written, produced, directed, and starred in productions for stage, film, and television. In 1971, she wrote the original screenplay and musical score for the film Georgia, Georgia, and was both author and executive producer of a five-part television miniseries, “Three Way Choice.” She has also written and produced many prize-winning documentaries, including “Afro-Americans in the Arts,” a PBS special for which she received the Golden Eagle Award. Angelou was asked by President Clinton to write and recite a poem for his inauguration ceremony.
Except for a select few, it is nearly impossible for one person to be so multi-skilled as to know how to do nearly everything in a field of expertise. The same cannot be said of Maya Angelou who was a poet, novelist actress, singer, dancer and even at one time a director. Angelou was born as Marguerite Ann Johnson on April 4, 1928 in St. Louis, Missouri. Although undeniably talented, this artist was not born into a state of privilege and at an early age already experienced the hardships and travails of life.
