I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings
By Maya Angelou
"I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings is a 1969 autobiography describing the early years of American writer and poet Maya Angelou. The first in a seven-volume series, it is a coming-of-age story that illustrates how strength of character and a love of literature can help overcome racism and trauma. The book begins when three-year-old Maya and her older brother are sent to Stamps, Arkansas, to live with their grandmother and ends when Maya becomes a mother at the age of 16. In the course of Caged Bird, Maya transforms from a victim of racism with an inferiority complex into a self-possessed, dignified young woman capable of responding to prejudice"- Wikipedia, viewed November 2, 2020
Why was this book challenged?
Banned book element tile
Reasons: Sexual Content, Racial Content, Profanity, LGBTQIA+
According to the American Library Association's Office of Intellectual Freedom, I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou has been frequently challenged and banned in schools over the years for allegedly “sexually explicit scenes," “offensive language," “LGBTQIA+ content," and being "anti-white."
See our Frequently Asked Questions webpage for more information about why books that address racism are being targeted for censorship.
Ways to read this book at STCC!
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Additional Resources and Accessibility
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