Nikki Giovanni

Hello! My name is Nikki Giovanni, and I am a poet. That means I love to play with words! I was born on June 7th, 1943, in a city called Knoxville, Tennessee. When I was a little girl, I lived with my grandparents. My grandmother, Louvenia, told the best stories. I would sit and listen for hours. Her stories filled my head with wonderful pictures and ideas, and I knew, even then, that words were a kind of magic.

When I grew up, I went to a special school called Fisk University. It was an exciting time! I started to write my own poems and stories. This was during the 1960s, when many people were working together to make the world a fairer place for Black people in what was called the Civil Rights Movement. I wanted to help, and I realized my words could be my way of doing that. I wrote poems to share my feelings and to give people hope and strength. I graduated with my degree in history in 1967.

Soon, I started putting my poems into books for everyone to read. My very first book of poems was called 'Black Feeling, Black Talk,' which I published in 1968. I wrote about things that were important to me: my family, being proud of who I am, and the big feelings everyone has, like love and sadness. I wanted my poems to sound like real people talking. People said my words helped give a voice to the Black Arts Movement, which was a time when Black artists, writers, and musicians shared their stories with the world.

Besides writing poems, I discovered another thing I love to do: teach! In 1987, I became a professor at a big university called Virginia Tech. It makes me so happy to help young people find their own voices. I show them that their stories matter and that they can use words to share their ideas, just like I did. It’s like passing on the magic my grandmother gave to me.

Today, I am still writing and teaching. I have written many books for grown-ups and for kids, too! My biggest hope is that my words inspire you to be proud of who you are and to share your own special story with the world. Remember, your voice is powerful, and your story deserves to be heard.