= I KNOW WHY BANTAM BOOKS BY MAYA ANGELOU | MN THAT YOU HAVE MISSED THE CAGED IKNOW WHY THE CAGED BIRD SINGS BIRD SINGS GATHER TOGETHER IN MY NAME <= SINGIN’ AND SWINGIN’ AND GETTIN’ MERRY LIKE CHRISTMAS Maya Angelou THE HEART OF A WOMAN MAYA ANGELOU: POEMS WOULDN'T TAKE NOTHING FOR, MY JOURNEY NOW I SHALL NOT BE MOVED EVEN THE STARS LOOK LONESOME, x BANTAM BOOKS New York Toronto London Sydney AucklandThis edition contains the complet ent ofthe original hardcover edition, ‘A Bantam Book / published by arrangement with Rendom Howe, le PRINTING HISTORY Random Hout edition published February 1970 ook-of the-Moath Club edition published Match 1970 ony Book Club edition published Ail 1970 A portion ofthis book appeated in sxowy magazine April 1970 ‘Bantam mats market edition / March 1971 Bantam wade edition June 197 ACKNOWLEDGMENTS The tte, Know Why the Caged Bird Sing, i or the poem "Sympathy, by Paul Laurence Dunbar “Lift Evy Voice and Sing words by James Weldon Joboson, music by . Rosamond Johason, Copyright Edward & Marks Music Corporation All rights reserved Copyright © 1969 by Maya Angelo. Cover photograph copyright © 1997 by Dwight Cater. No part of this book may be eeproduced or tansmited ‘any form or by any means, electonic or machanicl including photocopying, recording. oF by any information storage and reteval system, without permission in wting from the publisher For information address: Random House, In. 201 East 0th Seret, New York, N.Y, 10022 1 you purchased this book without a cover you should be aware that this book ix stolen property Iwas reported as “unsold and dewroyed” othe publisher and ne ‘er the author nor the publisher has received any payinent for thi “stripped book” ISBN 0-555-3800% Published simultaneously i the United States and Canad Bantam Books are published by Bantam Books, 2 division of Random House, In. Its eae ‘mark, consisting ofthe words "Bantam Books” aad the portrayal of «rooster, Registered in US. Patent and Trademark Office snd in other countries, Marea Regsrada, Bantams Books 1540 Broadway, New York, New York 10036 sreasee This book is dedicated to MY SON, GUY JOHNSON, and all the strong black birds of promise who defy the odds and gods and sing their songsACKNOWLEDGMENTS I thank my mother, Vivian Baxter, and my brother, Bailey Johnson, who encouraged me to remember. Thanks to the Harlem Writers’ Guild for concern and to John O. Killens who told me I could write. To Nana Kobina Nketsia TV who. insisted that I must. Lasting gratitude to Gerard Purcell who believed concretely and to Tony D'Amato who understood. Thanks to Abbey Lincoln Roach for naming my book. A final thanks to my editor at Random House, Robert Loomis, who gently prodded me back into the lost years.