Poet Nikki Giovanni has died at the age of 81, following a battle with cancer. She passed away on Monday, Dec. 9, after her third cancer diagnosis. The news was confirmed by her friend and author Renée Watson. Poet Kwame Alexander, in a statement, expressed gratitude for Giovanni’s impact on the literary world: “We will forever be grateful for the unconditional time she gave to us, to all her literary children across the writerly world.”
Giovanni first gained recognition with the release of her poetry collection Black Feeling Black Talk in 1968. The book marked her emergence from the Black Arts Movement, exploring themes of love, politics, race, and loneliness. Her writing was known for its starkness and passion, with poems like Word Poem closing with the words: “let’s build / what we become /when we dream.”
Born Yolanda Cornelia Giovanni, Jr. on June 7, 1943, in Knoxville, Tennessee, Giovanni grew up in Cincinnati, Ohio, before returning to Nashville to attend Fisk University. There, she met future literary leaders like Dudley Randall, Margaret Walker, and Amiri Baraka. Giovanni also re-established the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC) while at Fisk.
As her career progressed, Giovanni became a prominent voice in the Black arts community, appearing regularly on the television show Soul! and engaging in discussions with figures like James Baldwin. Her work earned widespread acclaim, including being named “Woman of the Year” by Ebony magazine and Mademoiselle.
Giovanni spent over three decades teaching English at Virginia Tech. She is remembered for her deep concern about one of her students, who later became the perpetrator of the tragic Virginia Tech shooting in 2007, which claimed 32 lives. Reflecting on the incident, Giovanni 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 her illness, Giovanni continued to work until her passing. She was in the process of finalizing her last poetry collection, THE LAST BOOK, which is still set for release next year.
