She published seven autobiographies, three books of essays, several books of poetry, and is credited with a list of plays, movies, and television shows spanning over 50 years. She received dozens of awards and more than 50 honorary degrees. The first, I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings , tells of her life up to the age of 17 and brought her international recognition and acclaim. She became a poet and writer after a string of odd jobs during her young adulthood.
These included fry cook, sex worker , nightclub performer, Porgy and Bess cast member, Southern Christian Leadership Conference coordinator, and correspondent in Egypt and Ghana during the decolonization of Africa.
Angelou was also an actress, writer, director, and producer of plays, movies, and public television programs. Beginning in the s, she made approximately 80 appearances a year on the lecture circuit , something she continued into her eighties.
In , Angelou recited her poem " On the Pulse of Morning " at the first inauguration of Bill Clinton , making her the first poet to make an inaugural recitation since Robert Frost at the inauguration of John F. Kennedy in She was respected as a spokesperson for Black people and women, and her works have been considered a defense of Black culture. Her works are widely used in schools and universities worldwide, although attempts have been made to ban her books from some U.
Angelou's most celebrated works have been labeled as autobiographical fiction , but many critics consider them to be autobiographies. She made a deliberate attempt to challenge the common structure of the autobiography by critiquing, changing, and expanding the genre. Her books center on themes that include racism , identity, family, and travel.
