FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. (KNWA/KFTA) — From gripping historical accounts to western classics and legal thrillers, Arkansas has been the starting point for many well-known authors.
Here are five famous authors who were either born or raised in The Natural State.
1. Maya Angelou
Maya Angelou, born Marguerite Annie Johnson on April 4, 1928, in St. Louis, Missouri, was an internationally renowned bestselling author, poet, actor, performer and activist for African American and women’s rights.
Angelou first became known for her autobiographical book “I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings” (1970), which recounted her childhood, including the ten years she spent with her grandmother in Stamps, Arkansas, according to the Encyclopedia of Arkansas .
In 1935, Maya Angelou and her brother were sent to Stamps after she was sexually molested by her mother’s boyfriend in St. Louis. Believing her voice caused the man’s death after he was convicted and found dead, Angelou became mute for years.