Nikki Giovanni, a groundbreaking poet, author, and activist whose work spanned nearly six decades, has passed away at the age of 81. Giovanni died on Monday, December 9, following her third cancer diagnosis, according to a statement by her friend and fellow author Renée Watson.
“We will forever be grateful for the unconditional time she gave to us, to all her literary children across the writerly world,” poet Kwame Alexander shared in remembrance of Giovanni’s lasting impact.
Born Yolanda Cornelia Giovanni Jr. on June 7, 1943, in Knoxville, Tennessee, Giovanni’s journey in the literary world began in the late 1960s. Her first poetry collection, Black Feeling Black Talk (1968), solidified her as a vital voice of the Black Arts Movement. Through her poetry, Giovanni fearlessly explored themes of race, love, politics, and identity, with a style that alternated between spare and longing to dense and righteous. One of her most memorable lines from Word Poem reads, “Let’s build / what we become / when we dream.”
Giovanni grew up in Cincinnati, Ohio, before attending Fisk University in Nashville, where she reestablished the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee. Her time at Fisk connected her with other literary luminaries, including Dudley Randall, Margaret Walker, and Amiri Baraka. As her career flourished, she became a recurring guest on Soul!, a Black arts and culture program, and engaged in notable conversations, including one with acclaimed writer James Baldwin.
Over the years, Giovanni authored nearly two dozen poetry collections, children’s books, and essays, consistently weaving themes of racial and gender equality into her work. One of her most celebrated poems, Nikki-Rosa, reflects on her childhood and the richness of Black love:
“They never understand / Black love is Black wealth and they’ll / probably talk about my hard childhood / and never understand that / all the while I was quite happy.”
Giovanni joined the English department at Virginia Tech in 1987, where she taught for over three decades. She was known for her unflinching creativity, even in the face of tragedy, as seen after the 2007 Virginia Tech shooting. Reflecting on the event, she told NPR, “Killing is a lack of creation. It’s a lack of imagination. It’s a lack of understanding who you are and your place in the world. Life is an interesting and a good idea.”
Despite battling cancer three times, Giovanni continued to create. Just weeks before her death, she performed alongside saxophonist Javon Jackson at the Louis Armstrong House Museum in New York City. Her final poetry collection, The Last Book, is slated for release in fall 2025.
Giovanni received countless accolades throughout her career, including honorary degrees, awards, and most recently, a 2024 Emmy for Going to Mars: The Nikki Giovanni Project. Her contributions to literature and activism earned her friendships with icons like Rosa Parks, Aretha Franklin, Nina Simone, and James Baldwin, cementing her status as a cultural force.
She is survived by her lifelong partner, Virginia Fowler; her son, Thomas Giovanni; granddaughter, Kai Giovanni; and extended family. As her cousin Allison Ragan shared, “We will forever feel blessed to have shared a legacy and love with our dear cousin.”
Nikki Giovanni’s voice and vision transformed poetry and activism, inspiring generations to dream, build, and imagine a better world.