Phillis Wheatley (1753 – 1784)
Phillis Wheatley was born in Africa and later came to the states as a child of slaves. As a child, her masters took an interest in her poetry by teaching her how to read and write. They later went on to help her publish a book of poetry entitled “Poems.” Phillis was the first African American to publish a book and the first African American woman to earn her living from writing.
Nancy Hicks Maynard (1946 – 2008)
Maynard was the first African American female reporter at the New York Times. She co-owned the Oakland Tribune with her husband and co-founded the Maynard Institute for Journalism Education, an organization that has trained hundreds of minority journalists.
Dr. Maya Angelou (1928 – )
Dr. Angelou was the first African American female cable car conductor. While living in Africa, she worked as an editor of The Arab Observer, an English language weekly in Egypt. She also taught at the University of Ghana’s School of Music and Drama, worked for the African Review and wrote for the Ghanaian Times. Dr. Angelou has written several books, screenplays and poems. She has been awarded three Grammy’s, over 30 honorary degrees and was requested to compose a poem to read at President Clinton’s 1993 Inauguration. She continues to appear on television, films and teaches American Studies at Wake Forest University.