Born in Missouri in 1928, Maya Angelou had a difficult childhood. Jim Crow laws segregated blacks and whites in the South. Her family life was unstable at times. But much like her poem, "Still I Rise," Angelou was able to lift herself out of her situation and flourish. She moved to California and became the first black - and first female - streetcar operator before following her interest in dance. She became a professional performer in her twenties and toured the U.S. and Europe as an opera star and calypso dancer. But Angelou's writing became her defining talent. Her poems and books, including I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings, brought her international acclaim.
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Ellen Labrecque is a freelance writer who lives in Pennsylvania with her husband and two kids. She has written over 20 children's books. Previously, she was a Senior Editor at Sports Illustrated Kids Magazine. She loves writing, running, and spending time outside.
More about Ellen LabrecqueGail Herman has written several biographies and nonfiction books, including Who Was Jackie Robinson? and What Is the World Series?
John Hinderliter is an award-winning illustrator and fine artist living in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
More about Who HqEllen Labrecque is a former Senior Editor for Sports Illustrated for Kids and the author of over twenty nonfiction books for young readers, including biographies of Jim Thorpe and Magic Johnson.
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