Nikki Giovanni

Yolande Cornelia "Nikki" Giovanni was the poet of the people — a literary force who moved as comfortably in Black barbershops and church basements as she did in university lecture halls and literary salons. From her earliest Black Arts Movement poems to her later meditative works, she spoke with a directness and warmth that made poetry feel like conversation. She published over 30 books of poetry, essays, and children's literature across six decades.

Born in Knoxville, Tennessee, in 1943, and raised in Cincinnati, Giovanni attended Fisk University, where she was mentored by John Oliver Killens and became involved in the Black Arts Movement. Her early collections — Black Feeling, Black Talk (1968) and Re: Creation (1970) — were fierce, political, and unapologetically Black. Her spoken word album Truth Is on Its Way (1971), which set her poetry to gospel music, became the best-selling spoken word album in history.

Giovanni taught at Virginia Tech for over 35 years, mentoring generations of writers. After the 2007 Virginia Tech shooting, her poem "We Are Virginia Tech" became a healing balm for the entire community. She was a finalist for the Grammy Awards, received the Rosa Parks Woman of Courage Award, and was named one of Oprah's 25 Living Legends. She joined the ancestors on December 9, 2024, leaving behind a body of work that made poetry accessible to millions.