A harsh childhood experience inspired Maya Angelou to become a writer and civil rights activist. She became first in a wide variety of fields because she was the first African American or woman to do something that showed how the civil rights movement was progressing. Maya Angelou, born as Marguerite Johnson, takes her professional pseudonym from her childhood nickname given by her brother and her first husband's last name. She was a poet, novelist, songwriter, playwright, dancer, theater and film producer, director, performer, singer, and civil rights activist (“Maya Angelou” Poests.org 1). She is best known for her autobiographies.Maya Angelou was born in St. Louis, Missouri on April 4, 1928. Her parents divorced when she was three, leading Maya and her brother to move to Stamps, Arkansas to live with her grandmother, Annie. Henderson. During her time at Stamps, Angelou "experienced the racial discrimination that was the legally enforced way of life in the American South, but she also absorbed the deep religious faith and old-fashioned civility of traditional life African-American” (“Maya Angelou Biography” Academy of Directing 1). In 1935, Maya Angelou and her brother returned to St. Louis to live with their mother. While living there, his mother's boyfriend sexually assaulted Maya Angelou. Because her uncle killed the boyfriend, Angelou felt guilty for saying anything about it and remained silent for several years. She began speaking again at the age of thirteen. Back with her mother, Maya Angelou moved to San Francisco. There, she attended George Washington High School and studied dance at the California Labor School. She dropped out of school for a brief period but came back and finished...... middle of paper ......n." Maya Angelou - Biography. Np, nd Web. January 19, 2014." Maya Angelou ": The Poetry Foundation. Np, nd Web. January 19, 2014. "Maya Angelou Biography." Academy of Achievement. Np, nd Web. January 19, 2014. "Maya Angelou." Poets.org. Academy of American Poets, nd Web. January 19, 2014. "Maya Angelou Timeline." McKay, Nellie Y. "Maya Angelou". . “Angelou, Maya.” The New Encyclopedia Britannica, 15th ed. Chicago: Encyclopedia Britannica., 2002. 403..