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How to Identify Prestigious Awards Maya Angelou Has Earned

Maya Angelou, a major American poet and writer, entered the public spotlight with her 1970 autobiographical memoir, "I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings." Her career, which has spanned more than four decades, has brought her numerous international accolades and firmly established her as one of the world's most prominent and popular writers. The wide variety of prestigious awards she has won shows that Maya Angelou's work is as exceptional as it is popular.

Instructions

    • 1

      Read Maya Angelou's official online biography for a brief rundown of the most important awards she has received. Review the bibliography of her work, which explains her Pulitzer Prize nomination, notes the 30-plus honorary degrees she has received, and mentions the Presidential Medal of Arts award that she received in 2000.

    • 2

      Review other biographies of Maya Angelou's life to see a more comprehensive list of awards she has won. Biography.com mentions her Tony nomination, her 1993 and 2002 Grammy Awards for Best Spoken Word Album, and her induction into the International Civil Rights Walk of Fame.

    • 3

      Look up the Academy of Achievement's biographical description of Maya Angelou's life, which enumerates some of the other honors she has earned. Read about the poem she composed and performed for President Clinton's inauguration, "On the Pulse of the Morning," in 1993; her seat on the American Revolution Bicentennial Commission; and her service on the Presidential Commission for the International Year of the Woman.

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