In the book, she writes in detail about the racism she was exposed to as a child, including the sexual abuse she suffered, and how she recovered from it and became a woman of record in writing. Through this book Maya Angelo became a person of international importance. He was recently awarded the President’s Award, the highest honor in the United States in 2010. He passed away in 2014 at the age of 86.
The United States has issued a dollar coin in Maya Angelo’s image. This is the first time in American history that a coin engraved with the image of a black woman has been issued. The move was made by Janet Leanne, the first female finance secretary of the United States.
He said, “Every time we redesign our currency, we have the opportunity to say something about what we value about our country and how we progress as a community.”