Maya Angelou (1928- )

One well known American voice is that of Maya Angelou, whose messages are both exuberant and real. Famous for her prose works such as "I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings", Angelou is also a poet, playwright, editor, actress, director, and teacher. President Clinton tapped her to write a poem in honor of his inauguration on January 20, 1993. Her memorable performance [audio]of "On the Pulse of Morning" was the result.