Maya Angelou, one of the most recognizable writers of all time, has died, sparking thousands of fans to leave messages of condolence on social media sites and forums around the world. Angelou leaves behind her estate worth approximately $28 million, which is believed to be going to her family, consisting of her son Guy Johnson.

Angelou was born Marguerite Ann Johnson in St. Louis, Missouri on April 4, 1928, and penned her first autobiographical masterpiece tilted "I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings" back in 1969. In "I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings," she talks about her tough childhood, which included being raped by her mother's boyfriend named Freeman when she was a little girl growing up in the segregated South. As a result, Freeman was killed by a mob after she confessed what horrible things he did to her as a child.

"My 7-and-a-half-year-old logic deduced that my voice had killed him, so I stopped speaking for almost six years," said Angelou, according to CNN.

Angelou was also a civil rights leader who befriended both Malcolm X and Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr during the movement that changed America forever during the 1960's. Unfortunately, Angelou's friend Dr. King was assassinated in a hotel in Memphis, Tennessee on her 40^th birthday in 1968.

Previously, Angelou displayed her love for music and theater when she starred in the "Porgy and Bess" play during the 1950's. In addition, she recorded her first music album titled "Calypso Lady" back in 1957.

At President Bill Clinton's first inauguration ceremony, she recited her famous poem titled "On the Pulse of Morning" back in 1993.

Recently, Angelou spoke about the recent incident regarding the kidnapping of the Nigerian school girls by the Boko Haram.

"I'm trying to be a Christian," said Angelou, according to a CurrentSee report. "I'm always amazed when people walk up to me and say, 'I'm a Christian.' I always think, 'Already? You've already got it?' I'm working at it. And at my age I'll still be working at 96."

Angelou is survived by her son writer Guy Johnson. When she passed away on May 28, 2014, she was 86 years old.