Remembering Nikki Giovanni, Renowned Poet, Activist and Educator
Giovanni, 81, died on Monday, December 9, 2024, following her third cancer diagnosis. Her vivid and incisive words, spanning more than five decades, made her one of the most celebrated voices in American literature.
Nikki Giovanni, a trailblazing poet, educator, and activist whose work illuminated the Black experience and inspired generations of readers, has transitioned. Her quick wit, infectious smile, and legacy of love have touched poets and writers internationally and her loss will be felt for generations.
Giovanni, 81, died on December 9, 2024, following her third cancer diagnosis, according to published reports. Her vivid and incisive words, spanning more than five decades, made her one of the most celebrated voices in American literature.
Stephanie Renee, president and CEO of the Soul Sanctuary, Inc., of Philadelphia, recalls first encountering Giovanni in person when she spoke at the First Unitarian Church of Philadelphia in 2006. Renee, a college student at the time, was so impressed that she got permission to call Giovanni “Aunt Nikki” because she felt like family.
“Aunt Nikki is the very first female poet I loved,” Renee explained. “Langston's fluid imagery first captured my attention, but Aunt Nikki spoke MY language. Sassy, with a hint of melancholy. Boisterous on the page but subdued with quiet power when she voiced the verses herself.”
Giovanni’s piece, "Nikki-Rosa," stoked a flame that began to roar out of Renee as a student at the University of Pennsylvania.
“That was when I first dared to envision myself as a poet. Lyrically gifted and unapologetically Black, with something to say. I shared it with the world, but I wrote it for myself and the occasional man-of-the-hour,” said Renee. “The lovers all drifted away, but the poetry lingered. Grew me up and sent me out into the world. The fire that Aunt Nikki lit.”
Mark Tyler
Aileen Cassinetto, San Mateo County, CA, poet laureate from 2019-2022, agreed.
“Nikki Giovanni left enough room for all of us in her poetry,” said Cassinetto. “I thank her for her legacies and her dreams, for ‘Nikki-Rosa,’ and ‘Knoxville,’ and her courage, and ‘good omelet.’ She told stories like no other, and we are braver for it.”
Born Yolande Cornelia Giovanni, Jr. on June 7, 1943, in Knoxville, TN, she rose to prominence during the civil rights and Black Power Movements of the 1960s. Her early works, such as "Black Feeling, Black Talk" and "Black Judgement" captured the urgency and pain of the era, establishing her as a powerful voice of resistance and empowerment.
Shermaine Gunter-Gary, president and CEO of Empowerment Tools Coalition of Atlantic City, encountered Giovanni in 1976, at Cheyney University after Giovanni had already established herself as a premier voice of the movement.
“I met her when I was in my 20s, and she was mesmerizing,” Gunter-Gary said. “She was a wordsmith genius.”
Gunter-Gary was a student at Widener University, who often visited Cheyney to see friends and hear African-American speakers who didn't often visit Widener. "I begged, borrowed and stole to get there because I loved her work," Gunter-Gary recalls. She was invited to the reception afterward where she spent one-on-one time with Giovanni.
"I had the most wonderful conversation with her about life and finding your purpose," Gunter-Gary said. "That really made me pivot because I didn't know anything about purpose. I was about partying, making money and living life."
"How will I know when I've found my purpose?" Gunter-Gary asked Giovanni. "She said, 'you'll know when you've hit the bullseye on your purpose.'"
About two years later, at a church in Southwest Philadelphia, Gunter-Gary heard Wilson Goode, Sr., speak about working with youth. Goode would later become the mayor of Philadelphia from 1984 to 1992. Gunter-Gary found her purpose and immediately thought back to the words of Giovanni. She volunteered under Goode and has worked on behalf of young people ever since. She has been a champion of youth in Atlantic City for more than three decades. She credits much of her life's work to volunteering with Goode and her impactful conversation with Giovanni.
"It was life changing," Gunter-Gary said.
Giovanni has given countless interviews, but one of her most poignant and well-remembered was a two-part episode of "Soul," where she had an extended exchange with James Baldwin.
Nikki Giovanni and James Baldwin. Part 1
Nikki Giovanni and James Baldwin. Part 2
More recently, she told her own story, in her own way, in the narrative documentary "Going to Mars."
Throughout her career, Giovanni wrote more than 30 books, including poetry collections, children’s literature, and essays. Her poetry, often a mix of sharp social commentary and deep personal reflection, tackled themes of race, love, gender, and community. Among her most acclaimed works are "Cotton Candy on a Rainy Day" (1978) and "Love Poems" (1997).
An outspoken advocate for equality, Giovanni’s work transcended the page. She was a fixture on college campuses and in public forums, using her platform to champion civil rights and encourage young people to embrace their heritage and creativity.
“Nikki Giovanni was one of the greatest voices of our time who stayed true to herself,” said poet Nina Ball, of Philadelphia. “Her existence, the profundity of her words, and her longevity in her gift are both encouraging and inspirational.”
David T. Harris, of Wilmington, met Giovanni in Delaware last year. Harris recalls being impressed by her featured reading on Tupac Shakur’s 2000 album "The Rose that Grew from Concrete."
“She engaged Tupac and embraced him as an auntie figure, and in my experience, I hadn’t seen that before,” said Harris. “It opened my eyes to her as a compassionate person. She recognized him as a person and as one artist to another.”
Harris was just beginning his journey as a spoken word performance artist. Giovanni’s interaction with Tupac encouraged Harris, letting him know that the elders not only understand current struggles, but they can also be approachable. Harris said Giovanni’s poem "Ego Tripping" had a profound effect on him as an artist because it resonated with him personally.
“Written in 1972, it stands the test of time,” Harris said." “When I met her, I thanked her for that poem.”
Raymond Tyler, Arts and Entertainment editor for Atlantic City Focus, said Giovanni impacted artists, young and old, because she truly identified with the people she spoke to and ultimately spoke for. “When she passed away hundreds of poets who had met her and took pictures with her came out to speak of her love, more so, than her writing. And her writing will continue to bless generations to come,” said Tyler.
Tyler, who teaches poetry workshops, said he uses "Ego Tripping" both as a launch point for discussion and as a writing prompt. “Nikki Giovanni's influence will outlive us all. However, her love and care, her laugh and smile, and the words from her pen will never be replaced,” Tyler said. “The worlds of art, poetry and culture shine so much brighter for Nikki Giovanni gracing us.”
Giovanni spent decades as a beloved professor at Virginia Tech University, where she mentored students and shared her passion for literature and social justice. Her address at the convocation following the 2007 Virginia Tech shooting, where she led the campus in a moving rendition of “We are Virginia Tech,” remains a defining moment of her legacy.
Gena E. Chandler, PhD, associate chair & associate professor of English, at Virginia Tech, said Giovanni’s authenticity was more than a public persona.
“She was a teacher inside and outside of the classroom,” said Chandler. “She was never afraid to say what she felt and what she thought.” Chandler, a friend, said Giovanni always affirmed others. “She took the time to tell you how much she appreciated what you had done, she was gracious and kind,” Chandler said. “I never saw her be cross with anyone. She really was an exceptional human being.”
In Giovanni’s poem, "The Life I Led," she described her hope that her life would mean something to others.
“She really did warm every life that she touched,” Chandler said. “She left the world a better, brighter place.”
Her accolades included numerous honorary degrees, the NAACP Image Award, and a Grammy nomination for her spoken word album "The Nikki Giovanni Poetry Collection." In 2021, she was inducted into the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, a testament to her enduring impact on American culture.
Poet Sharon Brown, of Atlantic City, who met Giovanni in 2018, at Arcadia University, said her death is more than that of a celebrity or social icon.
“It feels as if a favorite relative transitioned,” Brown said.
Renee said part of the reason that Giovanni’s death hits so close to home is because she channeled her inner strength for all to see, learn from, and embrace.
“Being exactly who you are takes extreme sacrifice, but Aunt Nikki was unbowed,” Renee said. “I am ever grateful for her gift with words. But more so, by the conviction of her actions. Ase and rest well, Aunty.”
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