Maya Angelou

Maya Angelou (1928-2014) was an influential American poet, writer, and activist. She worked various jobs before finding success as a writer, many of which influenced her works. She is best known for her series of seven autobiographical works, the first of which, "I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings", established her as the first African-America woman to write about her personal life publicly, and endures as one of the most extensively studied works in American schools. Angelous has received over 30 honorary degrees from universities all over the world.

While Angelou's autobiographies are considered to be her most successful works, she also wrote plays, poetry, and screenplays, and was chosen to recite her poem "On the Pulse of Morning" at Bill Clinton's inauguration in 1993. She received a Pulitzer Prize nomination for her 1971 volume of poetry entitled "Just Give Me A Cool Drink of Water 'fore I Diiie" .

Angelou also enjoyed a successful acting career and was nominated for a Tony Award in 1973 for her role in the play "Look Away". She appeared as a regular on the television series "Roots" and directed productions in both New York and London.

A one-woman show based on Angelou's life titled "Phenomenal Woman: An Evening With Maya Angelou" will premiere on Broadway in 2021. The show will draw influence from her writings and will include new, never heard before stories about her life. Her son, Guy Johnson, will work with producers David Michael Rich and J. Todd Harris to bring the show to Broadway.