Nikki Giovanni is a world-renowned poet, writer, commentator, activist, and educator. Over the past 30 years, her outspokenness in her writing and in lectures has garnered attention from around the globe. One of the most widely read American poets, she prides herself on being “a Black American, a daughter, a mother, a professor of English.” Determined and committed to the fight for civil rights and equality, Giovanni remains a strong voice of the Black community and dedicated to presenting the truth as she sees it. Her focus is on the individual, specifically, on the power one has to make a difference in oneself, and thus, in the lives of others.
Over her illustrious career, Giovanni has penned more than 30 books for both adults and children, and she has earned numerous honors and awards for her work. The recipient of some 25 honorary degrees, she has been named Woman of the Year by Mademoiselle Magazine, Ladies Home Journal, and Ebony Magazine. She was the first recipient of the Rosa L. Parks Woman of Courage Award, and she has also been awarded the Langston Hughes Medal for poetry.