She Didn’t Speak For Five Years

Marguerite encountered the pervasive racial prejudice in Stamps, which she would later depict in her writings. Except for a trip to St. Louis when she was 8 years old, she resided there until she was 14 years old. The visit turned out to be horrifying since Freeman, her mother's boyfriend, raped Marguerite. She told her brother about the incident, and he then alerted other family members. Freeman spent just one day in jail, but soon after his release, he was discovered dead, having likely been murdered by Marguerite's relatives, having been kicked in a lot behind a slaughterhouse.

Marguerite felt bad and stopped talking, with the exception of her devoted brother, believing that her voice was so strong that it may kill people. She remained silent and reclusive for almost five years till Mrs. Bertha Flowers, a teacher and family friend, helped her find her voice again through reading and dialogue. That's also the third fact about Maya Angelou Toplist want to share with you!