Mini biography about maya angelou

Maya Angelou was born in St Louis, Missouri on the 4th April 1928. Her given name was Marguerite Annie Johnson; she later took the name ‘Maya’ inspired by the way that her elder brother Bailey used to call her ‘my sister’.

Following the break-up of her parents’ marriage, Maya (aged three) and her brother (aged four) were sent to Stamps, Arkansas to live with their paternal grandmother Annie Henderson.

Mini biography about maya angelou

Maya and Bailey grew up at Annie's store for the next five years until their father appeared to take them back to St Louis to visit their mother when Maya was eight and Bailey nine. Although Maya and Bailey were initially enraptured by their beautiful, successful mother Vivian Baxter and the exciting city life in St Louis, the trip ultimately ended in tragedy when Maya was raped by her mother’s boyfriend Mr Freeman.

Mr Freeman threatened to kill Bailey if Maya ever revealed what had happened but the rape nonetheless soon became family knowledge. Mr Freeman was beaten to