Introduction: About the Book

Published in 1981, The Heart of a Woman is the fourth volume in Maya Angelou’s acclaimed autobiographical series. Set in the late 1950s and early 1960s, it follows Angelou’s journey as she navigates motherhood, the Civil Rights Movement, and life as a Black woman in both America and Africa. From her work with civil rights leaders like Martin Luther King Jr. to her relationships and career as a performer and writer, Angelou paints a vivid portrait of a woman determined to define her own path.