Nikki Giovanni
June 7, 1943
Nikki Giovanni is an American poet, writer, and activist known for her powerful, politically charged works. Born in 1943 in Knoxville, Tennessee, she grew up in Cincinnati, Ohio, and attended Fisk University in Nashville. After college, she became involved in the Civil Rights Movement, and her early poems reflected her political activism. Over the years, Giovanni has published numerous collections of poetry, including "Black Feeling, Black Talk" (1968), "My House" (1972), and "Love Poems" (1997). She is also a popular speaker and has received numerous awards and honors for her work. Known for her bold, direct style and her refusal to compromise her beliefs, Giovanni is widely regarded as one of the most important and influential African American poets of the 20th century.