While we celebrate National Poetry Month, we must celebrate the poets who made the perception of poetry what it is today. After that being said, the focus of this article is on Nikki Giovanni’s past and present accomplishments.
Giovanni was born June 7, 1943 in Knoxville, Tennessee. Through her years spent in education she has been fortunate enough to study at Columbia University, Fisk University and the University of Pennsylvania. However, Fisk University was where she gained her voice as a poet and her skill as a writer.
Involved in many events during the civil rights movement, she helped Fisk rebuild their Student Non-Violent Coordinating Committee (SNCC). SNCC has been known to be one of the most important organizations during the civil rights movement and their goal was to give black youth more of a voice during this period. After receiving her education, she decided to go back to teach in literature and writing courses at other institutions. Some of her most famous works include: “Woman” (poem), “Black Feeling, Black Talk” (book) and her first work “Re: Creation”.
Personally for Nikki Giovanni, she exercised her passions through most of her works that addressed her strong racial pride, respect for family and often her perspectives as an activist, daughter and mother.
How did she change the poetry world, you wonder? Through her work and dedication she has helped give African-Americans a voice since the 1960’s. During this time, there was a rapidly increasing influx of black artists and this period became known as the Black Arts Movement.
As an American activist, commentator, educator, writer and poet, she has focused most of her efforts towards encouraging the individual and letting them know that they have the power to make a difference in the lives of others. She has helped many youth discover their love for poetry and inspired many others to publish their own works. She also was big into giving back to the environments you grew up in so she went back and helped the city of Cincinnati, Ohio initiate the their first Black Arts Festival.
She is still a professor at Virginia Tech University and will most likely continue to encourage others to discover poetry for themselves for years to come. As part of the National Poetry Month celebration, I hope you are curious and interested enough to go learn about Nikki Giovanni for yourself. Read a book, her poem collections or hopefully you are fortunate to see her in person. Regardless, be sure to celebrate the many poets during this phenomenal month!