I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings

Even as a child, Maya is very perceptive and pays much attention to the people around her. For instance, she notices that their neighbor, Mr. McElroy, is one of the few local Black people who wear a suit. Although he is rather reserved and rarely smiles, Maya grows fond of him because he, unlike other people of Stamps, likes to talk to Uncle Willie. Mr. McElroy doesn’t go to church, and Maya considers him very courageous for being able “to stare religion down, especially living next door to a woman like Momma” (21). Since Mr. McElroy owns his land and his house, he is “an independent Black man” (21), and this makes him stand out in the community of Stamps.

Maya admits that the most important person in her world is her brother Bailey. Physically, he is the opposite of her, "small, graceful, and smooth" (22), and in Maya's eyes, he is nearly perfect. He always defends his sister when people speak unkindly about her, and thanks to his mischievous character, the siblings spend many days playing daring and fun games. Maya acknowledges that Bailey is her "Kingdom Come" (23), and she adores her brother.

The Black community in Stamps is tightly-knit, and during the canning season, women gather to help each other fill the jars with various produce and prepare it for the rest of the year.