NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — Family, friends, colleagues and millions of fans are mourning the loss of Nikki Giovanni.
The acclaimed poet, Civil Rights activist and educator died after battling cancer for the third time, according to Virginia Tech University. She was 81.
Giovanni retired from Virginia Tech in 2022 after 35 years as a professor in the English department.
Her alma mater, Fisk University, is reflecting on Giovanni’s life.
Adrienne Latham, Fisk’s director of alumni affairs, shared memories of her late friend and former classmate.
“I think she would be pleased to know so many people care,” Latham said.
Latham, a junior when Giovanni was a senior in the late 1960s, recalled her friend's vibrant personality.
“Before she would leave the hall, she would stand in the mirror and pick the fro to make sure it was coiffed and right. And didn’t have any peaks and valleys going,” Latham said.
The Knoxville native became a world-renowned poet, writer and activist, often discussing Black identity, the Civil Rights movement and the Black Arts movement.
Giovanni also served as a professor at Virginia Tech, where the university honored her in a special tribute video.
“I feel for her son and granddaughter and Jenny, her partner,” Latham said.
Giovanni was known for speaking her mind and standing up for the rights of all people, whether through her poetry or public speeches.
Latham hopes her legacy inspires others.
“She knew what she wanted to do. She had to clear out the weeds to create a path and others can follow her,” Latham said.
Giovanni's latest book of poetry, "The Last Book," is expected to be released next fall.
Do you have more information about this story? You can email me at aaron.cantrell@newschannel5.com
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