As an author, poet, actor, singer, dancer, civil rights activist, and more, Maya Angelou lived a life worthy of seven autobiographies. From a troubled childhood in St. Louis to her work with Martin Luther King, Jr. to her vast oeuvre of poetry and prose, this volume profiles one of the most prolific African American voices of the 20th century, highlighting her most famous work, I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings.

Each essay is 2,500 to 5,000 words in length, and all essays conclude with a list of
Works Cited,
along with endnotes. Finally, the volume’s appendixes offer a section of useful reference resources:

A chronology of the author’s life A complete list of the author’s works and their original dates of publication A general bibliography A detailed paragraph on the volume’s editor Notes on the individual chapter authors A subject index

.