Maya Angelou was recognized as a Woman of the Year in 2009 by Glamour, as the publication gave the Pulitzer-Prize nominated writer the lifetime achievement award (per Glamour). The esteemed author sadly passed away in 2014, but remembering the many accomplishments that led to her winning the 2009 title is a great way to honor her memory and to familiarize yourself with her literary work if you've yet to dive into her breadth of publications. 

Per the Poetry Foundation, Angelou had a full career before establishing herself as an author in the 1970s. She began as a performer and toured Europe with an opera production before she moved to New York City in the late 1950s. According to Biography, as a civil rights activist, Angelou worked to further the efforts of both Malcolm X and Martin Luther King Jr. She eventually garnered acclaim as a memoirist through the 1970 publication of "I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings." As noted on her website, despite gaining praise from critics and reaching the best-seller list, Angelou's debut was also banned in many schools for its discussion of sexual abuse. However, it eventually made its way into the college literary canon.