Maya Angelou, born Marguerite Ann Johnson, is considered one of the most influential autobiographers and poets of her time. She has won many awards for her bold honesty about her life and some believe, she is a pioneer of black feminism. The first volume of her work, I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings depicts her life up until she is 17-years-old.

Angelou has received many honorary degrees and a Pulitzer Prize for Just Give Me a Cool Drink of Water 'Fore I Diiie. Throughout her career Angelou has also tried to change the genre of memoir writing, changing the style and structure in ways that have led European universities to study her autobiographical and "autobiographical fiction," while raising controversy in U.S. schools for the adult themes in some of her work.

Maya Angelou's writing centers on themes of racism, family, feminism, identity and class. She is also very involved in politics, and in 1998 she was the first African-American woman to direct a major motion picture, Down in the Delta.