Nikki Giovanni, a renowned poet and educator, was born on June 7, 1943, in Knoxville, Tennessee. A key figure in the Black Arts movement and Black Power movement, her work had a significant impact on social justice issues.
Giovanni graduated from Fisk University with honors in history, joining Delta Sigma Theta sorority. She later became a university professor at Virginia Tech.
Her notable works include “Black Feeling, Black Talk/Black Judgement” (1968), which was self-published and critically acclaimed. Giovanni’s poetry also appeared in the Emmy-nominated “The Collected Poetry of Nikki Giovanni” (1968-1998).
In recent years, her book “The Last Book,” scheduled for release in fall 2025, has generated significant anticipation. Unfortunately, Giovanni passed away on December 9, 2024, at the age of 81 due to cancer complications.
Source: https://www.theguardian.com/books/gallery/2024/dec/10/nikki-giovanni-poet-photos