Maya angelou writing awards for children

As a civil rights activist, Angelou worked for Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Bywrote Carol E.

Louis, Missouri African American author, poet, and playwright Maya Angelou—author, poet, playwright, stage and screen performer, and director—is best known for I Know Why the Caged Bird Singsthe story of her early life, which recalls a young African American woman's discovery of her self-confidence.

After her parents' marriage ended, she and her brother, Bailey who gave her the name "Maya"were sent to rural Stamps, Arkansas, to live with their grandmother, who owned a general store. Although her grandmother helped her develop pride and self-confidence, Angelou was devastated when she was raped at the age of eight by her mother's boyfriend while on a visit to St.

After she testified against the man, several of her uncles beat him to death. Believing that she had caused the man's death by speaking his name, Angelou refused to speak for approximately five years. She attended public schools in Arkansas and later California.

While still in high school she became the first ever African American female streetcar conductor in San Francisco, California. She gave birth to a son at age sixteen. In she married Tosh Angelos, a Greek sailor, but the marriage lasted only a few years.

Later Angelou studied dance and drama and went on to a career in theater. She appeared in Porgy and Bess, which gave performances in twenty-two countries.

She also acted in several plays on and off Broadway, including Cabaret for Freedom, which she wrote with Godfrey Cambridge. During this time she also contributed articles to The Ghanaian Times and was featured on the Ghanaian Broadcasting Corporation programming in Accra, Ghana. During the mids she became assistant administrator of the School of Music and Drama at the University of Ghana.

She was the feature editor of the African Review in Accra from to After returning to the United States civil rights leader Dr.

Martin Luther King, Jr.

Success as an author I Know Why the Caged Bird Singsthe first in a series of Angelou's autobiographical telling the story of her own life works, was a huge success. It describes Angelou's life up to age sixteen, providing a child's point of view about the confusing world of adults.

The book concludes with Angelou having regained her self-esteem and caring for her newborn son. In addition to being a sharp account of an African American girl's coming of age, this work offers insights into the social and political climate of the s. Her next autobiographical work, Gather Together in My Namecovers the period immediately after the birth of her son Guy and describes her struggle to care for him as a single parent.

Singin' and Swingin' and Gettin' Merry Like Christmas describes Angelou's experiences on the stage and concludes with her return from the international tour of Porgy and Bess. The Heart of A Woman shows the mature Angelou becoming more comfortable with her creativity and her success.

Angelou wrote about other subjects as well, including a children's book entitled Kofi and His Magic Other works and awards Angelou had been writing poetry since before her novels became popular.An acclaimed American poet, storyteller, activist, and autobiographer, Maya Angelou was born Marguerite Johnson in St.

Louis, Missouri. Angelou had a broad career as a singer, dancer, actress, composer, and Hollywood’s first female black director, but became most famous as a writer, editor, essayist, playwright, and poet.

Best Famous Maya Angelou Poems. This is a select list of the best famous Maya Angelou poetry. Reading, writing, and enjoying famous Maya Angelou poetry (as well as classical and contemporary poems) is a great past time.

These top poems are the best examples of maya angelou poems. Women, children, men, Take it into the palms of your hands. Maya Angelou reciting her poem "On the Pulse of Morning" at President Bill Clinton's inauguration in African-American writer and poet Maya Angelou (–) was honored by universities, literary organizations, government agencies, and special interest groups.

Maya Angelou was born Marguerite Ann Johnson on April 4, , in St. Louis to Bailey Johnson, a dietitian, and Vivian Johnson, a card dealer and boardinghouse proprietor. List of Awards and Nominations Received By Maya Angelou - Awards.

Awards. Year Honor Notes Reference; Given to African-American authors and illustrators of books for children and young people.

Pulitzer Prize Nomination: with the year-old Scholastic Art Writing Awards in the Future New category. Maya Angelou - Poet - Maya Angelou was an author, poet, historian, songwriter, playwright, dancer, stage and screen producer, director, performer, singer, and civil.