Envisioned 74 years ago, an African American who had just returned from the war entering a restaurant and not being served because of Jim Crow laws. As a black person in the 1930s and 1940s, he was given little power, or even respect. Black people, especially women, did not have a happy upbringing because it was illegal to acquire and obtain books during this time (Depression 17). Awarded more than fifty honorary degrees, Maya Angelou wrote her bestselling novel, I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings (Women Memoirist 36). Faced with the dilemma of learning to read and write, you wonder how one of the best African-American authors of all time was able to thrive despite such difficulties. This novel takes place deep in the South, at the beginning of cultural and political change. Written in 1969, the novel I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings is Maya Angelou's most famous novel, deeply affected by her childhood during the Great Depression, her confrontation with racism and discrimination in the South and her sexual abuse and mental. difficult for African Americans during the Great Depression. Very few had jobs and those who were privileged enough to have one had to give it up to whites who had lost theirs. Many found themselves homeless and built small shanty towns which they shared with several other people. There were several boycotts and riots in all the factories; some led to violence such as the burning of a paper store in St. Louis (Lynch, African American Life). The Great Depression was the result of the stock market crash of October 29, 1929. More than 50% of Americans were unemployed and could not even earn enough money to feed their families. Many African-American families, including ...... middle of paper ...... she credits, however, who helped her get through them. Maya Angelou's novel, I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings, acknowledges the trials and tribulations as a young African-American girl during the era of the Great Depression, where she faced the constant struggle against racism, discrimination and sexual abuse. With the end of this era came the end of many of the cultural struggles she faced as a child. At the beginning of I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings, Maya was an insecure and displaced child, but by the end of the story, she has become a humble and loving young woman. These are just a few influences that Maya Angelou used to complete her autobiography. Every day, many young black girls are encouraged by Maya Angelou's novel and accept their racial uniqueness. Today, Maya Angelou is an effective and powerful motivator for all black birds, helping them sing their songs..