Nikki Giovanni, Renowned Poet and Activist, Dies at 81

Nikki Giovanni, the celebrated poet, author, educator, and activist whose profound writings championed racial and social justice, has died.

She died aged 81 on December 9, 2024, in Blacksburg, Virginia, from complications related to lung cancer, according to her friend, the author Renée Watson.

In a career spanning six decades, Giovanni became a defining voice of the Black Arts Movement in the late 1960s and a literary icon celebrated for her sharp, conversational style.

She authored more than 25 books, including poetry collections, essays, and works for children, which solidified her reputation as one of America’s most influential writers.

Her poem “Nikki-Rosa,” first published in 1968, resonated deeply with readers, offering a poignant reflection on her childhood in Ohio and Tennessee. In the poem she famously asserted “Black love is Black wealth,” while rejecting reductive narratives about her upbringing.

“She was an artist of extraordinary range and courage,” Watson said in a statement. “Her words moved mountains and connected us to each other and to our shared humanity.”

Family Roots from Knoxville to Tennessee

Giovanni was born Yolande Cornelia Giovanni Jr. on June 7, 1943, in Knoxville, Tennessee. She was nicknamed “Nikki” by her older sister.

Her family moved to Ohio when she was four years old, settling in the Black community of Lincoln Heights, outside Cincinnati. She often described her maternal grandparents’ home in Knoxville as her “spiritual home.”

As a young girl she devoured books on diverse subjects, ranging from history to Ayn Rand, and demonstrated early intellectual independence. Accepted to Fisk University during her junior year of high school, Giovanni excelled academically while also challenging societal norms.

She became involved in the burgeoning civil rights movement, helping to establish a campus branch of the Student Non-Violent Coordinating Committee. However, her outspokenness led to clashes with the administration, culminating in a temporary expulsion.

Giovanni ultimately returned to Fisk and graduated with honors in history in 1967.

Iconic Voice of the Black Arts Movement

Her debut poetry collection, Black Feeling, Black Talk (1968), self-published with financial help from friends, catapulted her into the literary spotlight.

The radical themes of her early works, including the poetry collection Black Judgement, were a rallying cry for the Black Power movement. She gained national recognition, appearing on television programs like The Tonight Show, and filled venues such as Lincoln Center’s 3,000-seat concert hall for her readings.

Giovanni’s literary achievements garnered widespread acclaim. She was a finalist for the National Book Award in 1973 for her autobiographical prose work Gemini and earned a Grammy nomination for the spoken word album The Nikki Giovanni Poetry Collection in 2003. Additionally, she received seven NAACP Image Awards and 27 honorary degrees throughout her life.

Her influence extended to the classroom, where she shaped young minds as a professor at Virginia Tech for 35 years.

She retired in 2022 with the title University Distinguished Professor Emerita.

Virginia Tech also became a source of profound personal connections for Giovanni. She lived with her partner, Virginia “Ginney” Fowler, a fellow faculty member, in her later years.

Legacy Reflected in Acclaimed HBO Documentary

Giovanni’s personal life was marked by her independence. In 1969 she gave birth to a son, Thomas Watson Giovanni, and chose to raise him as a single mother.

“I didn’t want to get married, and I could afford not to get married,” she told Ebony magazine.

Her life and legacy were recently celebrated in the award-winning 2023 documentary, Going to Mars: The Nikki Giovanni Project, broadcast on HBO. The film highlighted her impact on literature, activism, and culture, underscoring her enduring relevance.

Barbara Crosby, Giovanni’s longtime friend, described her complex personality in Giovanni’s 2003 book The Prosaic Soul of Nikki Giovanni: “To love her is to love contradiction and conflict. To know her is to never understand but to be sure that all is life.”

This article includes reporting from The Associated Press