Women’s History Month’s Feature: Nikki Giovanni, Renowned Poet, Writer, and Civil Rights Activist

Hello book lovers! In celebration of Women’s History Month, I would like to present to you, renowned poet, writer, civil rights activist and winner of several awards including the Langston Hughes Medal and NAACP Image Award, Nikki Giovanni. She has been dubbed the “Poet of the Black Revolution” for her early work bearing a strong, militant African-American perspective and addressing racial, gender, sexual equality, social and other issues.

She has also written children’s literature, non-fiction essays, and made poetry recordings. Of note, in 2004 she was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Spoken Word Album for her poetry album, The Nikki Giovanni Poetry Collection, a selection of poems she read against the backdrop of gospel music. She has taught at various universities and is currently a University Distinguished Professor at Virginia Tech in Blacksburg, Virginia.

A few months ago, I tuned into the Well-Read Black Girl (“WRBG”) Virtual Festival where Giovanni was the keynote speaker. She was in conversation with Glory Edim (Founder, WRBG, a Brooklyn-based online book club). Giovanni delighted her virtual audience with stories about life, love, politics and race. She also talked about her latest book, Make Me Rain: Poems & Prose. During the conversation, she said as writers we should continue with our own growth and not be afraid to contradict ourselves. I needed to hear that. She is truly a trailblazer!

WRITING TIP: When writing poetry remember to write prose structured in a way that is either symbolic and/or rhythmic and conveys imagery of your feelings which evoke different emotions in your readers.

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