Beloved Poet & Activist Nikki Giovanni Dies At 81

Iconic poet Nikki Giovanni, renowned for her trailblazing voice in American literature and activism, has died at the age of 81.

A rep for Giovanni confirmed that she passed away peacefully on Dec. 9, surrounded by her lifelong partner, Virginia Fowler, family, and friends.

The news was shared with local Virginia news station WDBJ, which received a statement from Allison Ragan on behalf of Giovanni’s family.

“We will forever feel blessed to have shared a legacy and love with our dear cousin,” said Ragan.

Giovanni served as a University Distinguished Professor in the English Department at Virginia Tech before her passing. Her cause of death is cancer, which she battled three times.

Remembering Nikki Giovanni

Giovanni was a luminary of the Black Arts and Civil Rights Movements, forging friendships with cultural and historical icons such as Rosa Parks, James Baldwin, Nina Simone, Aretha Franklin, and Muhammad Ali. Her poetry and activism inspired generations of students, artists, and activists to strive for justice and creativity.

NewsOne reports that Giovanni’s first book of poetry, Black Feeling, Black Talk was published in 1968 and firmly established her as a necessary part of the movement in which artists used their works in part as an arm of their activism. It is now featured in the Smithsonian’s National Museum of African American History & Culture.

Her work includes the poems “Ego Tripping (There May Be a Reason Why),” “Revolutionary Dreams,” and “Knoxville, Tennessee.”

Giovanni’s best-known work is arguably the 1968 poem “Nikki-Rosa,” which addresses her upbringing in suburban Cincinnati. Her forthcoming book of poetry, The Last Book, will be published in fall 2025.

Nikki Giovanni’s legacy lives on in her groundbreaking poetry, her tireless advocacy, and the countless lives she touched.

Rest in eternal peace.