Trivia

At age seven, Maya was raped by her mother's boyfriend. She wasn't going to tell anyone, but her brother Bailey persuaded her to tell him who raped her. As a result, the man was killed. Maya believed her spoken word caused his death, and as a result refused to speak for years.

Spoke fluent French, Spanish, Italian, Arabic and West African Fanti.

She was the first black and female cable car conductor in San Francisco.

Considered Oprah Winfrey, her dear friend and the daughter she always wanted, while Oprah considered her as "a mother-sister-friend" and "one of the greatest influences in her entire life".

Her nickname "Maya" came from her older brother, Bailey, who called her "My" and "Mine".

She read her poem "On the Pulse Into Morning" at the inauguration of President Bill Clinton on January 20, 1993, only the second poet asked to compose and deliver a poem at a US Presidential Inauguration, after Robert Frost at the inauguration of President John F. Kennedy in 1961.

Inducted into the National Women's Hall of Fame in 1998.

The title of her memoir "I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings" comes from the poem "Sympathy" (specifically, the last stanza) by Paul Laurence Dunbar.

Mother of Guy B. Johnson, author of the novel "Standing at the Scratch Line" (2001) and 'Echoes of a Distant Summer: A Novel" (2011).

Awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the nation's highest civilian honor, in the White House East Room by President [link=Barack Obama on February 15, 2011.

Was nominated for Broadway's 1973 Tony Award as Best Supporting or Featured Actress (Dramatic) as Mary Lincoln confidant Elizabeth Keckley in "Look Away.".

She had been awarded more than thirty honorary college and university degrees.

Toured Europe and Africa in an American production cast of 'Porgy and Bess' between 1954 and 1955.

Hosted and was a subject-matter expert for the instructional telecourse "Humanities Through the Arts".

She recorded an album for Liberty Records in 1957 titled "Miss Calypso".

Honorary member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Inc.

Thanked by Fiona Apple in the liner notes of her album "Tidal".

She recorded an album with Nick Ashford and Valerie Simpson, called "Been Found" in 1996.

Was narrator for "Hall of Presidents" at Walt Disney Theme Parks following Rex Allen.

Pictured on a USA 'forever' commemorative postage stamp issued 7 April 2015. Price on day of issue was 49¢.

Attended and graduated from George Washington High School in San Francisco, California, USA.

Received the Women's International Center (WIC) Living Legacy Award in 1986.

She was awarded the American National Medal of the Arts in 2000 by the National Endowment for the Arts in Washington D.C.

Inducted into the Arkansas Black Hall of Fame in 1993 (inaugural class).

Although she played Cicely Tyson's mother in Raíces (1977), she was more than three years younger than her in real life.

Was one of eleven children.

Biography/bibliography in: "Contemporary Authors". New Revision Series, Vol. 133, pp. 14-25. Farmington Hills, MI: Thomson Gale, 2005.

She was a lifelong Democrat.

In The Simpsons episode "Insane Clown Poppy" she was offered to guest voice a cameo of herself since the episode had a scene featuring a book fair consisting of a panel of well-known authors. Angelou declined and she was voiced by Pamela Hayden instead.