Maya Angelou's autobiographical account of her childhood and adolescence.
At age 3, Angelou and her brother Bailey are sent by their parents to live with their grandmother (Momma) in Stamps, Arkansas, where they experience the harsh realities of racial discrimination and violence.
At age 8, Angelou is sexually assaulted and raped by her mother's boyfriend, Mr. Freeman. Traumatized, she becomes mute for several years.
Angelou finds solace in literature and the mentorship of Mrs. Flowers, who helps her regain her voice through reading and reciting poetry.
Angelou and her brother move to St. Louis to live with their mother, then later to San Francisco, where Angelou faces further challenges, including a pregnancy at 16.

Developed by Perplexity AI