Maya Angelou

Photo: Getty Images/Jemal Countess

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Maya Angelou
Perhaps the first time you heard of Maya Angelou was in I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings, but it was surely not the last. It became the first in a series of six books, chronicling her life. Tackling big themes such as identity, family and racism, she has earned a National Book Award, more than 30 honorary degrees and a Pulitzer Prize nomination. And she's not done yet.