Maya Angelou receives Lifetime Achievement Award for writing

Maya Angelou accepted a lifetime achievement award from the Norman Mailer Center on Thursday night.

The legendary poet was honored at a benefit dinner organized by the Mailer Center and writers colony.

Angelou was introduced by her former Random House editor, Robert Coomis, who encouraged her to write her best-selling book, "I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings."

She reminisced on her transition from segregated Arkansas to literary stardom.

"Imagine it," she said. "a town so prejudiced black people couldn't even eat vanilla ice cream."

Pulitzer Prize Winner Junot Diaz and Journalist Michael Hastings also recieved awards from the Mailer Center.