Maya Angelou | Civil Rights Leader | Readers Theater Script

This Maya Angelou Historical Figure Readers Theater Script engages students in an interactive narrative instead of reading a dry history textbook. Abigail and Benjamin follow Maya Angelou’s journey from a silent, hurt child to a renowned poet and civil rights activist. They see her draw strength from words, learn from great leaders, and use her voice to inspire equality.

Script Summary:

Abigail and Benjamin watch Angelou overcome childhood trauma and discover literature’s healing power. She befriends James Baldwin, gaining confidence to write “I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings,” meets MLK and Malcolm X, learning moral courage and dignity. Working with Coretta Scott King and influenced by Billie Holiday’s art, Angelou understands that art and activism go hand in hand. Her poems “On the Pulse of Morning” (1993) and “A Brave and Startling Truth” (1995) (both primary sources) urge humanity to face past wrongs, embrace empathy, and shape a peaceful future. Angelou’s legacy shows that personal struggle can yield understanding, language can bridge divides, and united effort can conquer injustice.

This product includes a zip file consisting of:

1) Readers Theater Script

• ~10 Characters, 1750 words, PDF & Editable DOCX Formats (8 pages)
• Includes factual historical information, primary source quotes, and narrative storytelling
• Themes & Discussion Question Prompts

2) Comprehensive Script Worksheet

• Includes Answer Key, Google Slides & PDF Formats (4 Pages | 17 Slides)
• 10 Vocabulary Words: Definitions based on the context of the script to build historical literacy
• 10 Short-Answer Questions: Comprehension and recall questions based solely on the script, ensuring students can analyze the content without requiring additional research.
• Long-Format Writing Questions: Encourage deeper reflection and analysis, including one primary source exploration question.

3) Two Primary Source Poems

• "On the Pulse of Morning" by Maya Angelou
• "A Brave and Startling Truth" by Maya Angelou
• Full Primary Source Text, PDF & DOCX Formats (7 pages)

Teaching Tips for Using the Script:

• For digital classrooms, upload the DOCX Script and convert to Google docs
• For More Students: Main character can be read by multiple students.
• For Less Students: Minor characters can be read by just one student.
• This script should take about ~25 minutes and depending on your classroom's level it may be suitable for other grade levels.
• An extra ~25 minutes for prep, discussion, vocabulary or short answer comprehension questions should also be planned.

This resource is part of a bundle dedicated to notable Civil Rights Leaders:

SAVE 50% and get the bundle here: Civil Rights Leaders Reader's Theater Scripts Bundle (12)