She began to work on a book that would become a stunning success entitled I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings with the help of her friend, James Baldwin. During this time, Maya worked with Dr. Martin Luther King and listened to him speak about civil rights. I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings was published in 1970. It made the bestseller list. In her book, Angelou opened up about being molested by her mother's boyfriend when she was seven years old. Her uncle murdered the boyfriend because of what he did. Maya felt she was responsible and she refused to speak. Because of her openness about her childhood, her book was banned from use at many schools. In later years, the book became commonly used.