Transcription
Maya AngelouWorksheets
Maya AngelouMaya Angelou was an African-American who had an extensive career asa poet, essayist, memoirist, singer, actress, playwright, educator, andcivil rights activist. She published seven autobiographies, for which sheis most famous for. She was also a published author of three collectionsof essays and several books of poetry as well as scripts for plays,movies, and television shows.Early Life Maya Angelou was born Marguerite Annie Johnson on April 4, 1928 inSt. Louis, Missouri. She was the second child of Bailey Johnson and Vivian Baxter Johnson. She has an older brother named Bailey Johnson Jr. Her brother Bailey Jr. gave her the nickname of Maya from the term “My”or “Mya Sister.”KIDSKONNECT.COM
Maya Angelou Her parents separated when she was three years old.Following her parents’ separation, Maya’s childhood was mostlyspent in Stamps, Arkansas - the home of her paternalgrandmother.Before she turned eight, she was returned to her mother’s care inSt. Louis, where he was sexually assaulted by her mother’sboyfriend.Maya told of the rape to her brother who told the rest of the family.Her mother’s boyfriend was put in jail for one day.He was murdered shortly after his release, leaving Mayatraumatized and mute for several years.She and her brother was sent back to her grandmother.It was during this time when Maya met Mrs. Bertha Flowers, theteacher who Maya credits for helping her regain her voice.In 1940, Maya and her mother moved to San Francisco, California.In San Francisco, Maya took up various jobs, such as being acocktail waitress, a cook, a dancer, and a prostitute.At 16 years old, Maya was the first female African-American cablecar conductor in San Francisco.Literary Works Her first work entitled I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings (1969) isa memoir focused on Maya’s childhood experiences, particularlythat of the sexual assault she experienced. I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings earned her internationalacclaim and got nominated for a National Book Award. Her first autobiography was followed by six more autobiographies:Gather Together in My Name (1974), Singin’ and Swingin’ andGettin’ Merry like Christmas (1976), The Heart of a Woman (1981);All God’s Children Need Traveling Shoes (1986); Song Flung up toHeaven (2002); and Mom & Me & Mom (2013).KIDSKONNECT.COM
Maya Angelou She has published several collections of poems, namely Just GiveMe a Cool Drink of Water ’fore I Diiie (1971), And Still I Rise (1978),Now Sheba Sings the Song (1987), and I Shall Not Be Moved (1990). She also wrote children’s books like My Painted House, My FriendlyChicken and Me (1994), and collections of essays like Wouldn’t TakeNothing for My Journey Now (1993) and Letter to My Daughter(2008).Broad Career In the 1950s, Maya Angeloumoved to New York City andassumed the name “MayaAngelou” combining herchildhood nickname and herthen-husband’s surname. Angelou joined the HarlemWriters’ Guild where she gotsupport for her literary talent. She also landed a featured role ina George Gershwin’s operaPorgy and Bess, with whosetroupe she toured 22 countries inEurope and Africa.Maya Angelou reciting her She continued her acting careerpoem "On the Pulse ofby performing in Jean Genet’sMorning" at President Billplay “The Blacks” in 1961.Clinton's inauguration in 1993 She moved to Cairo in that same year as persuaded by a SouthAfrican dissident to whom she was married.In Cairo, she worked for the Arab Observer.She later on worked for The African Review when she moved toGhana.In 1966, she returned to California.KIDSKONNECT.COM
Maya Angelou She wrote a television show about African culture in Americaentitled Black, Blues, Black which aired in 1968. In 1972, she wrote the screenplay for the film Georgia, Georgiaand became one of the first African-American female writerswhose screenplays were created into a feature film. She joined the Directors Guild of America in 1975 and was one ofthe guild’s first African-American female members. Maya Angelou also acted in television series and films such asPoetic Justice (1993) and How to Make an American Quilt (1995). She was nominated for a TonyAward for her performance inLook Away (1973). She directed her first film Downin the Delta which was releasedin 1998. Documentary films have beenmade on Maya Angelou’s lifenamely Maya Angelou and Still IRise. Maya Angelou began herteaching career as a professor ofAmerican studies at Wake ForestPresident Barack ObamaUniversity, Winston-Salem, North presenting Maya Angelou with theCarolina in 1981 despite her lack Presidential Medal of Freedomof a college education.Honors and Awards She was invited to write and deliver her poem, On the Pulse ofMorning, for the inauguration of President Bill Clinton in 1993. Maya Angelou’s poem A Brave and Startling Truth was written incelebration of the 50th anniversary of the United Nations in 1995.KIDSKONNECT.COM
Maya Angelou Her poem His Day Is Done is an elegy to South African leaderNelson Mandela which was released in the wake of his death.In 1991, Maya Angelou was awarded the Langston Hughes Medal.In 1992, Maya received the Women in Film Crystal Award.In 1994, Maya was the recipient of the Spingarn Medal.In 2011, she was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedompresented by President Barack Obama.In 2013, she received the Literarian Award, an honorary NationalBook Award.Personal Life and Death She had one son named Guy Johnson. She died on May 28, 2014 in Winston-Salem, North Carolina.KIDSKONNECT.COM
Name:Maya’s ProfileFill out this Introduction page of Maya Angelou. Fill inthe blanks as if you are Maya. Write from herperspective.BIRTH NAMEHOMETOWNFAMILY BACKGROUNDSIGNIFICANT CHILDHOOD EVENTSKIDSKONNECT.COM
Name:Life Road MapHow are the following places significant to MayaAngelou? Cite specific events that happened inMaya’s life in these places.St. Louis, MissouriStamps, ArkansasSan Francisco, CaliforniaNew YorkKIDSKONNECT.COM
Name:Book Title CrosswordComplete the crossword puzzle by supplying the wordthat will complete Maya Angelou’s book title.ACROSSDOWN2. All God’s Children NeedTraveling1. My Painted House,My Friendly and Me3. Wouldn’t Take Nothing ForMy Now3. Flung up to Heaven5. Gather Together In My7. Mom & Me &4. The Heart of aKIDSKONNECT.COM
Name:Book CoverFamiliarize yourself with the following autobiographies byMaya Angelou. Draw an appropriate book cover for eachof them. Be as creative as you can!THEYWH SINGSWOI KN D BIRDECAGO MYTRELETTHTERDAUGKIDSKONNECT.COM
Name:Right ChoiceRecall what you’ve learned about Maya Angelou byanswering the following questions. Encircle the letterof the best answer.What is Maya Angelou’s firstbook?A.I Know Why The CagedBird SingsB. And Still I RiseWhat is the name of MayaAngelou’s son?What play did Maya Angelouearn a Tony Award for?A.B.Look BackLook AwayWhat university did MayaAngelou first teach in?A. Gunn JohnsonB. Guy JohnsonA. One Forest UniversityB. Wake Forest UniversityWhat is the name of theleader to whom MayaAngelou write an elegy for?At what age did MayaAngelou die?A.Martin Luther King, Jr.B. Nelson MandelaA.B.86 years old96 years oldWhat film did Maya Angelouwrite that made her one of thefirst African-American femalescreenplay writers?A.B.Atlanta, GeorgiaGeorgia, GeorgiaKIDSKONNECT.COM
Name:Angelou’s AwardsMake a list of the awards that Maya Angelou receivedover the years. Make another list of the titles she hasearned. An example is given for both.AWARDSTITLESKIDSKONNECT.COM
Name:Timeline MakingMake a mini-timeline of Maya Angelou’s life and career.Choose five events that you think define Maya’s life themost. Write the specific year when it happened.YEARYEARYEARYEARYEARKIDSKONNECT.COM
Name:Poetry AnalysisRead the poem “Harlem Hopscotch” by African-Americanpoet Maya Angelou then answer the following questions.“HARLEM HOPSCOTCH”One foot down, then hop! It's hot.Good things for the ones that's got.Another jump, now to the left.Everybody for hisself.In the air, now both feet down.Since you black, don't stick around.Food is gone, the rent is due,Curse and cry and then jump two.All the people out of work,Hold for three, then twist and jerk.Cross the line, they count you out.That's what hopping's all about.Both feet flat, the game is done.They think I lost. I think I won.Why do you think the poem is entitled Harlem Hopscotch?After reading the poem, what do you think ‘hopscotch’ is ametaphor for? Why?KIDSKONNECT.COM
Name:What Would Maya Say?Reflect on Maya Angelou’s convictions and principlesthen complete the following quotes according to whatshe would say.Children must be.Women are.Courage is.Life experiences are asource of.KIDSKONNECT.COM
Name:Art About AngelouVarious artists have made art inspired by Maya Angelou’sworks. Get inspiration from the samples of art displayedbelow. Make your own art about Maya Angelou based onany work of hers.Source: Jeanne Menjoulet / flickr.com / CC BY 2.0 2014 uneekL4evr. Licensed under CC-BY/.Source: Kate Merriman/ flickr.com/ CC BY 2.0KIDSKONNECT.COM
Apr 06, 2020 · presenting Maya Angelou with the Presidential Medal of Freedom She was nominated for a Tony Award for her performance in Look Away (1973). She directed her first film Down in the Delta which was released in 1998. Documentary films have been made on Maya Angelou’s life namely Maya Angelou and Still
