41 Remarkable Memoirs by Black Celebrities

Published in 1969, the autobiography I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings is the coming-of-age story of world-renowned poet and activist Maya Angelou. Beginning just at the age of 3, the story follows Angelou's troubled life, including sexual abuse and rape, to becoming a teen mother in the South in 1945. The first in a series of seven books that chronicle her life, this memoir addresses issues such as racism, identity, family, death, motherhood, and literacy. In a troubled world with bleak circumstances, Maya propelled herself forward with dreams, hopes, and words.