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Since then, the book's popularity has only grown. Since I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings was a book about a black girl struggling to become an independent woman, it fit right in with the goals of the Civil Rights and Feminist movements. Yep, those "bra burners" were demanding equal rights and treatment. At the same time, feminism began picking up steam. African Americans were still grieving over their lost leaders and working through the Civil Rights Movement. It had only been a few years since Martin Luther King Jr. When Maya Angelou's autobiography hit the stands, it resonated with the zeitgeist (that's a fancy German word for the spirit of the time) of the United States. We hate to say, "you should care because this book is important." But you should care because this book is important.

What is I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings About and Why Should I Care? When she finally emerged, Caged Bird was by her side. Angelou took the bait and locked herself in a room with a pen, paper, and a bottle of sherry for two years ( source). When she refused, he said, "It's just as well, because to write an autobiography as literature is just about impossible" ( source). That's right, Angelou's editor Robert Loomis was trying to get the then-poet to write a book. So how did this fabulous new thing get written? It was a dare. Oh, and it also shows off her literary chops. There are five other books in her series of autobiographies, but Caged Bird introduces us to the themes for which she is now famous: race, femininity, independence, identity, community, family, and travel. It was kind of like before Avatar when no one made movies in 3D, or before Real Worldwhen reality TV hadn't yet conquered the world. But at the time, no one had read anything like Caged Bird. Between Toni Morrison and Oprah, we're pretty used to hearing stories about awesome black women these days. The novel was released to both critical acclaim and widespread censorship as a new story about black female life with some majorly frank descriptions of sexuality. But Caged Bird covers Angelou's life before she was a VIP, back when she was just little ol' Marguerite Johnson from Stamps, Arkansas. You might say she is Very Important People. She recited poetry at President Bill Clinton's inauguration, received the Presidential Medal of Freedom from President Barack Obama, and dominated the New York Times Bestseller list for two years. I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings was written in 1969 by Maya Angelou. And there you have it: I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings. Simmer over adversity for an hour and filter through the eyes of a precocious young girl who will to grow up to be one of the most important literary voices alive. Mix together one part autobiography, one part romance, and one part adventure. I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings IntroductionĪllow us to reveal the recipe for a literary juggernaut.