An African-American writer, poet, playwright, editor, actress, director and teacher, she was born in St. Louis, Missouri. Her autobiography, "I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings", was nominated for the National Book Award. As the first African-American female screenwriter in Hollywood, she made history and in 1993, she became the first black woman to recite poetry at a presidential inauguration (the Clinton administration).

Her outstanding contributions and extremely high literary standards earned her the title of "American Author of the Year" in 1996.