Maya Angelou’s childhood experiences played a significant role in informing her literary journey. Traumatized by a traumatic event, she became mute for almost five years, developing a rich inner world that fueled her writing. Her adventures with her grandmother and her education in a segregated South exposed her to the harsh realities of racism, oppression, and identity. These formative experiences significantly influenced her perspectives on human dignity and resilience, themes that are prominent in her autobiographies like “I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings.”