Maya Angelou- Phenomenal Woman Childhood Marguerite Johnson was born on April 4,1928. Her parents, Baily and Vivian were married, but there relationship had never really been a strong one. After their divorce, Maya and her older brother, Baily, named after her father, were soon sent to live with their grandmother in Stamps, Arkansas.
After seven years, although their grandmother was very paternal toward them, the children felt a longing for their mother. So at the early age of seven, Maya moved to St. Louis, Missouri with their mother and her boyfriend. Being back with her mother naturally made Maya happier, and she thought of the boyfriend as a dear father figure. Then, one day when her mother was at work, Maya Angelou was raped by the man whom she loved to call "ÃÂDaddy.' Confused and distraught, Maya was forced to testify at this monster's trial. A few days later, the police found him kicked to death in an alley.
English: Maya Angelou reciting her poem, "On the P...
Arco Maya
Maya Angelou with Bloomberg and NadlerThe damage was apparently done by some of Maya's uncles who were brimming with hate and vengeance. Maya, being only at the delicate age of eight, thought that her testifying words had been what had killed her "ÃÂDaddy.' Traumatized and lonely, Maya stopped speaking altogether for five years, and moved back to Arkansas.
Later Personal Life After her mute stage, Maya was determined not to let anything bring her down. Staying determined, she had a baby named Guy at the tender age of seventeen. When her mother asked her if she knew whom the father was, Maya responded with a quick yes. When asked about marriage to this man, she responded with a quick no. Without anyone to help in her quick financial situation, she became a chef for a Creole Specialty Restaurant. Even though she had no previous...