A poet, an author, a play-write, an actress, a mother, a civil-rights activists, historian and most
             important a survivor. Perhaps Maya Angelou, award winning author of many books is one of the most
             influential African Americans in American history. I believe that she rates at the top of the list of
             American authors, with Hemingway, Hawthorne, and Voight. I believe through my research and reading of
             Maya Angelou that she should be among the members of The American Authors Hall of Fame.
             Maya was born on, April 4th, 1928 as Marguerite Johnson, in St. Louis Missouri. She was raised
             in Stamps Arkansas, by her Grandmother Annie Henderson and Her Uncle Willie. Stamps was a rural
             segregated community. However, it was tight knit between the African Americans.
             Maya grew up during a very difficult time period in American history. They were just recovering from the
             Great Depression, and learning how to deal with different races of people. Maya knew this and made it
             "It was awful to be Negro and have no control over my life. It was brutal to be
             young and already trained to sit quietly and listen to charges brought against my color
             with no chance of defense. We should be dead. I thought I should like to see us all dead, one on top of
             each other. A pyramid of flesh with the whit folks on the bottom, . . . and then the Negro's." (Angelou
             "If growing up was painful for the Southern Black Girl, being aware of her displacement
             is the rust on the razor that threatens the throat." (Angelou, Caged Bird)
             Grandma Henderson was a very religious person, and a key factor in Maya's upbringing. as with
             the rest of the people of Stamps. Maya and her brother Baily were punished as necessary. She kept Baily
             and Maya out of trouble and on the right track. "A devout woman Grandmother Henderson led her family
             in prayer each day at 4:00am." (Aging and Human Development 181)
             When Maya ...