American poet, Nikki Giovanni, dies at 81

A renowned poet, activist, book author, and educator known for her thoughtful work on race and gender, Nikki Giovanni died at age 81 on Monday, in a hospital in Blacksburg, Virginia.

The cause was complications from lung cancer, a disease with which she was originally diagnosed in 1995.

Giovanni’s friend and fellow writer Renée Watson confirmed in a statement. “The acclaimed poet, Black Arts Movement icon whose poems of wit, wonder, and wisdom were celebrated in children’s books, on keynote stages and television shows, and in more than two dozen bestselling poetry collections, died peacefully on December 9, 2024, with her life-long partner, Virginia Fowler, by her side,

“We will forever feel blessed to have shared a legacy and love with our dear cousin,” added Allison Ragan in a statement on behalf of Giovanni’s family.

Born as Yolande Cornelia Giovanni, Jr. June 7, 1943, in Knoxville, Giovanni was a prolific and well-regarded poet who initially gained attention in the late 1960s as part of the Black Arts Movement after graduating from Nashville’s Fisk University.

Throughout her career, she won numerous awards, including the Langston Hughes Medal, the Maya Angelou Lifetime Achievement Award, seven NAACP Image Awards, and 31 honorary doctorates. In 2003, she was nominated for a Grammy for her spoken word album, The Nikki Giovanni Poetry Collection. Earlier this year, Giovanni was awarded an Emmy for Exceptional Merit in Documentary Filmmaking for Going to Mars: The Nikki Giovanni Project.

Giovanni released over 30 books, including her 1971 autobiography Gemini, as well as spoken word albums and works for children. She held teaching positions at Rutgers and Queens College before being recruited to the English department of Virginia Tech in 1987 by Fowler.

Her most recent book, The New Book: Poems, Letters, Blurbs, and Things, is expected to be released in 2025.

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