Poet/author Nikki Giovanni dies at 81

Nikki Giovanni—a critically acclaimed poet, author, activist and teacher known for writing about Black life—has passed away at age 81.
“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 [Ginney] Fowler, by her side,” read an announcement from friend and fellow writer Renée Watson, according to CNN.
Virginia Tech (officially the Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University)—where Giovanni was an emerita professor in the English department—also noted that Giovanni received numerous awards, including the inaugural Rosa L. Parks Woman of Courage Award, the American Book Award, the Langston Hughes Award, the Virginia Governor’s Award for the Arts, the Emily Couric Leadership Award and seven NAACP Image Awards; she also received 27 honorary degrees.
Giovanni’s most recent book of poetry—interestingly titled The Last Book—is slated to be published next fall. The film Going to Mars: The Nikki Giovanni Project was released in 2023 and was acclaimed, even receiving a nomination earlier this year by GALECA: The Society of LGBTQ Entertainment Critics for LGBTQ+ Documentary of the Year.
“My dream was not to publish or to even be a writer: my dream was to discover something no one else had thought of. I guess that’s why I’m a poet. We put things together in ways no one else does,” Giovanni wrote on her website.
Giovanni is survived by wife Virginia Fowler and her son and granddaughter, Thomas and Kai Giovanni, in addition to cousins Allison “Pat” Ragan and Haynes Ford, and nephew Christopher Black.