Maya Angelou was an author, poet, singer, screen director, playwright, and dancer. In 1969 she published I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings, the first of her autobiographical works, for which she is best known. Angelou went on to publish four more books of memoirs, as well as many volumes of poetry. In 1993 she read her poem “On the Pulse of Morning” at the inauguration ceremony for President Bill Clinton. Dr. Angelou held the Z. Smith Reynolds chaired professorship in American Studies at Wake Forest University from 1982 until her death in 2014.

If you wish to use any of Dr. Maya Angelou’s literary works, musical works, photos, trademarks, quotes, artwork, video clips, film and television clips or any other copyrighted works, please seek permission by filling out this form.

Blog Posts and Exhibits

• 5o Years of Caged Bird: An Exhibit from Dr. Maya Angelou’s Film and Theater Collection
• Entering the Houses of History: Writing in the Archives
• The Life of Maya Angelou: Special Collections & Archives Resources
• Rare Book of the Month blog post “I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings” (1969)
• Schomberg Center for Research in Black Culture (New York Public Library), Rare Books & Manuscripts, Maya Angelou Papers

Manuscript Collections and Record Groups

• Academic Departments. English Department Records
• Academic Departments. Humanities Program Records
• Alumni and Communications Development. Office of Communications and External Relations Records
• Angelou, Maya, Biographical Files Collection
• Buildings and Grounds Department Records
• Elizabeth Phillips Papers (See Box 5, Folder 11 for correspondence between Dr. Phillips and Dr. Angelou)
• Eva Rodtwitt Papers (See Box 2-3 for correspondence and clippings regarding Dr. Angelou)
• Jan G. Hensley Papers (See Box 13, 15-16, and 20 for materials regarding Dr. Angelou)
• Maya Angelou Film and Theater Collection
• News Clippings
• Office of the President. Thomas K. Hearn, Jr. Records (See Box 1-6, and 12 for correspondence between Dr. Hearn and Dr. Angelou)
• University Archives Photograph Collection
• Maya Angelou Papers. Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, Manuscripts, Archives and Rare Books Division, The New York Public Library

Interviews, Presentations, and Recordings

• Black Literature and Its Contributions to Society
• C-Span Cities Tours: Winston-Salem
• Hopkins, Beth (Video Interview and Transcript)
• Interview with Maya Angelou and Romare Bearden
• Maya Angelou Garden Party 2020
• Mullen, Tom, video interview and transcript
• Oakes, Barbee Myers, video interview and transcript
• Proposed Maya Angelou Center for Community and the Response from the Community presentation (Politics Department Records)
• Public Reading and Lecture on Love
• School of Divinity Inaugural Convocation
• Smith, Peggy, video interview and transcript

Selected Bibliography

For more published materials, including numerous first editions, published by and regarding Dr. Maya Angelou, please use the search feature in our library catalog.

• Angelou, Maya. Amazing Peace: A Christmas Poem. New York: Schwartz & Wade Books, 2008.
• Angelou, Maya. Celebrations: Rituals of Peace and Prayer. New York: Random House, 2006.
• Angelou, Maya. The Collected Autobiographies of Maya Angelou. New York: Modern Library, 2004.
• Angelou, Maya. The Complete Collected Poems of Maya Angelou. Norwalk, Connecticut: Easton Press, 2005.
• Angelou, Maya. The Complete Poetry. New York: Random House, 2015.
• Angelou, Maya. Hallelujah! The Welcome Table: A Lifetime of Memories With Recipes. New York: Random House, 2004.
• Angelou, Maya. Mikale of Hawaii. New York: Random House, 2004.
• Angelou, Maya. Mother: A Cradle to Hold Me. New York: Random House, 2006.
• Angelou, Maya. Great Food, All Day Long: Cook Splendidly, Eat Smart. New York: Random House, 2010.
• Angelou, Maya. His Day is Done: a Nelson Mandela Tribute. New York: Random House, 2014.
• Angelou, Maya. I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings. Nowalk, CT: Easton Press, 1999, 1969.
• Angelou, Maya. Letter to My Daughter. New York: Random House, 2008.
• Angelou, Maya. Love’s Exquisite Freedom. New York: Welcome Books, 2011.
• Angelou, Maya. Maya Angelou. New York: Sterling, 2007.
• Angelou, Maya. Mom & Mom & Me. New York: Random House, 2013.
• Angelou, Maya. Phenomenal Woman. New York: Random House, 2000.
• Angelou, Maya. Rainbow in the Cloud: the Wisdom and Spirit of Maya Angelou. New York: Random House, 2014.
• Angelou, Maya. A Song Flung Up To Heaven. New York: Random House, 2002.
• Courtney-Clark, Margaret. Maya Angelou: the Poetry of Living. New York: C. Potter, 1999.
• French, Henry F. and Jan Hensley. 40-Day Journey With Maya Angelou. Minneapolis: Augsburg Books, 2009.
• Gillespie, Marcia. Maya Angelou: A Glorious Celebration. New York: Doubleday, 2008.
• Hobbs, Avaneda. Dr. Maya Angelou: As Seen Through the Eyes of America: Honoring a Woman Full of Life. Forestville, MD: Cap Pub. & Literary Co., 1999.
• The Howler yearbook
• Hensley, Jan. Maya Angelou: Her Phenomenal Life & Poetic Journey. New York, NY : Essence Books, an imprint of Time Home Entertainment Inc., 2014.
• Maya Angelou, and Still I Rise, DVD, 2017.
• Smiley, Tavis. My Journey with Maya. New York: Little, Brown and Company, 2015.
• Old Gold & Black student magazine
• Wake Forest University Magazine