I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings
by Maya Angelou
I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings is Maya Angelou's autobiography of her childhood and youth, first published by Random House in the United States in 1969. The first of seven volumes of memoir, it was nominated for the National Book Award in 1970.
- Editions tracked
- 3
- First edition
- Random House, 1969
- First published
- Random House, United States, 1969
- Worth
- Not yet valued
Which edition do you have?
First edition
- 1st Random House1969 Hardback Not yet valued I own I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings, Random House 1969 Log in to want this
Later and other editions
- Virago1984 Paperback Not yet valued I own I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings, Virago 1984 Log in to want this
- Hutchinson1988 Hardback Not yet valued I own I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings, Hutchinson 1988 Log in to want this
We have not yet researched the issue points for this book. If you know how to tell the first from later printings, tell us and we will credit you once it is checked against a second source.
On screen
- I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings Film, 1979
From Wikidata. A prize or a new adaptation often lifts demand for the first printing.
Pictures of the book
Freely licensed pictures of the work. They are not necessarily the edition you hold: check the points on each edition's page.
More by Maya Angelou
- Gather Together in My Name1974 · 2 editions
- Singin' and Swingin' and Gettin' Merry Like Christmas1976 · 2 editions
- And Still I Rise1978 · 2 editions
- The Heart of a Woman1981 · 2 editions
- All God's Children Need Traveling Shoes1986 · 1 edition
- Poems1986 · 1 edition
- Life Doesn’t Frighten Me1993 · 1 edition
- Wouldn't Take Nothing for My Journey Now1993 · 2 editions
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How to Identify a First Edition
To identify a first edition, check that your copy is the first printing of the first edition. Read the copyright …
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Book condition grading uses a six-step trade scale: Fine, Near Fine, Very Good, Good, Fair and Poor. Collectors grade the …
Read the guide →7 min readDust Jackets Explained: Why the Jacket Drives a Book's Value
For most books published since the 1920s, the original dust jacket carries a large share of the value, often most …
Read the guide →Frequently asked questions
Who published the first edition of I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings?
The first edition of I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou was published in New York by Random House in 1969.
How many editions of I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings are there?
We track 3 editions of I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings, including 1 first edition. Each has its own page with how to identify it.
Has I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings been adapted for film or television?
Yes, including I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings (film, 1979).
How can I tell if my copy of I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings is a first edition?
Check the title page and its reverse (the copyright page) against the edition: publisher, place and date should match, with no later printing or edition stated. Where we know the issue points, they are listed on the edition's page.
Where these facts come from
- I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings, Wikipedia (en.wikipedia.org)
- I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings (Q3163506), Wikidata (wikidata.org)
Every fact on this page was checked against the sources listed. Checked 17 October 2026.