"I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings" is an autobiographical novel by Maya Angelou, first published in 1969. The book covers Angelou's childhood and adolescent years, detailing her experiences growing up as an African American girl in the segregated South during the 1930s and 1940s. The narrative begins with Angelou's early years and explores the challenges she faced, including being sent to live with her grandmother in Stamps, Arkansas, after her parents' marriage ended. The title of the book is a