She was a close friend of Oprah Winfrey, the renowned TV anchor and billionaire.The two first met in Paris, France in the 1950s. Maya Angelou and renowned author James Baldwin had a number of productive meetings.In addition to the American civil rights activism, Maya Angelou fought very hard to raise awareness of the ills committed by the apartheid government in South Africa.In Ghana for example, she also worked as an administrator in the University of Ghana. During the early years of Africa’s decolonization, Maya Angelou lived and worked as an editor in two African countries – Egypt (in 1961) and Ghana (from 1962 to 1965).She had the honor of working with two very distinguished civil rights activists – Martin Luther King Jr.As the Northern coordinator of SCLC, Angelou played a vital role in in raising funds for the organization’s civil rights activities.From their interactions, the dance group “Al and Rita” was borne. It was during this time she got introduced to dancers Alvin Ailey and Ruth Beckford. Shortly after getting married to Tosh Angelos in 1951, Maya Angelou took a number of dance classes.Maya Angelou was the first black female to work as a cable car conductor in San Francisco. ![]() The silver lining from all that was that it was during that time Maya Angelou took a liking for books. Believing that she was somehow responsible for the man’s death, Angelou spent the next six years of her life in complete silence. The man’s death shocked the 8 year-old Maya Angelou. This came after he spent a couple of days in jail. Around the age of 7, she was raped by her mother’s boyfriend.Her actual name was Marguerite Annie Johnson. Her name “Maya” was given to her by her older brother, Bailey Jr.Owing to her parent’s divorce, Maya and her brother, Bailey Jr., moved from one place to another. ![]() ![]() Her mother on the other hand was a nurse.
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