St. Louis, Missouri (April 4, 1928 -May 28, 2014) age 86 yrs

Author, poet, actress and champion of civil rights Dr. Maya Angelou was one of the most dynamic voices in all of 20th-century American literature. The book ‘I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings’ is an autobiographical account of her childhood. It gained wide acclaim for its vivid depiction of African American life in the South.