Nikki Giovanni - 1943
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By Susan LawsonChilhowie High School, Virginia
Read another essay on Nikki Giovanni by Tennessee student
Jenine Daniel.
"On the whole what is most striking about Giovanni's poetry is that she has created the
charming persona of 'Nikki Giovanni.' This persona is honest, searching, complex, lusty, and above all, individualistic and charmingly egoistical" [sic] ("Nikki Giovanni" Discovering 2).
I. Biography Gary, Nikki's older sister by three years, gave her sibling the nickname "Nikki- Rosa" (also
the name of one of Giovanni's poems), but as Nikki-Rosa matured, the Rosa part was usually left out as the nickname was shortened (Fowler 7). Nobody knows exactly why
Gary started calling Yolande Jr. Nikki, but it eventually took the place of her birth name. When Nikki was around the age of twelve or thirteen, Nikki's mother became curious of her
many peculiar behavioral and intellectual characteristics and had her take a series of tests. The results showed that she lacked any type of "manual dexterity," but the same tests
showed that she shared the same intellectual level as a genius held (Fowler 7). During her father's stressful life, he became tired and dejected which led to an abusive nature. Nikki
was not in the least afraid of her father's ways; however, the tension that was emitted in the household became more than she could bear. Just before she was scheduled to enter
high school, Nikki independently called her grandmother on the phone and asked if she could move in with her (Fowler 8). Fourteen years after she left Knoxville, she happily returned to her loving grandparents
who were now her guardians. Throughout her high school career, Nikki had ambitions of becoming a lawyer, but her English teacher whom she had for the ninth, tenth, and eleventh
grades had other ideas for the young woman's future. This teacher challenged Nikki and her bored outlook she frequently possessed inside the boundary of school (Fowler 9). The
teacher assigned Nikki some work that would take up some of the dull time- giving Giovanni the chance to experiment with writing. After her high school years drew to a
close, Nikki had to make a decision on college; Fisk University, another all Black site of education, was her choice. The years between 1961 and 1963 were ones of change: first her
grandfather Watson died, and next she was dismissed from Fisk University. Nikki spoke, and always will speak, her own mind, which was a main element in her removal from Fisk ("Nikki Giovanni" Gale Literary Databases
(3). Both of these bumpy spots in her path caused her to return once again to Cincinnati. Following her homecoming, the
responsibility of sister Gary's son Christopher fell upon Nikki (Fowler 10). In no time, the relationship of the aunt and her nephew flourished, leaving Nikki very attached to the little
boy (Fowler 10). Nikki then took a job at a local Walgreen's store and attended some classes at the University of Cincinnati.
In 1964, Giovanni reentered Fisk and became very involved in literary and political activities. Being editor of the college's literary magazine took up lots of her time ("Nikki Giovanni" Poetry Exhibits
1). During these years back at Fisk, she attended a creative writing workshop that was taught by John Oliver Killens, a novelist. Needless to say, she
was greatly influenced and from here on her writings became more serious ("Nikki Giovanni: Discovering Authors 1-2). She led many in a campaign to reestablish the
Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC), which had been banned in previous years (Swenson 1). Giovanni graduated magna cum laude in 1967 with a degree in history.
Soon after, Giovanni became the editor of a "local revolutionary publication", Conversation (Fowler 12).
The first Cincinnati Black Arts Festival was organized by Giovanni and took place this same year she began her editorial work at Conversation (Swenson 1). Also, in 1967,
Giovanni met H. Rap Brown, the new head of the SNCC. From hereafter, she participated in the Black power movement and was associated with many of the main leaders of the cause
(Fowler 12). Another level of education was pursued when Giovanni attended the University of Pennsylvania's School of Social Work, but quickly realized after one semester
that she did not have the necessary charming personality that was almost essential in being a social worker (Fowler 13). Nikki's grandmother died in this busy year of 1967. Nikki
was just beginning to gain her new prominent position, but in the same time she lost a huge chunk of her heart with the loss. 1968 marked another loss of a life that was very important
to Nikki; this death affected the American population as well. She mourned the assassination of Martin Luther King, Jr., and traveled many miles just to be present at his
funeral. Beginning with the summer of 1968, she called New York her new home for the next ten years. When fall rolled around she entered yet another university: Columbia
University's School of Fine Arts with hopes of earning an M.F.A. in creative writing (Fowler 13). After being angered by criticism from white literary conservatives, she refused
to accept the degree which would prove that she had, in fact, earned it, and withdrew from the program all together (Fowler 13).
The next ten years served as a launching pad for her poetic career. She gained a national name for herself as a Black feminist poet. While her popularity increased, she made
devoted fans. Along with her new famous standing, Giovanni made enemies who were unamused with her writings. Tons of reviews constantly attacked the poet. Why? After
wading through Giovanni's reviews from the year 1969 to 1974, Margaret B. McDowell came to the conclusion that "critics have allowed personal and political attitudes not
merely to affect their judgment but to dominate it too" (Fowler 14). How did this condemnation make Nikki feel? She stated, "I don't see why I should live in hostage to
other people's idea of me" (Fowler 14). Nikki Giovanni will remain to be a controversial author and poet until her dying day.
On August 31, 1969, an unwed Giovanni brought a son, Thomas Watson Giovanni, into her life. Giovanni refused to reveal the identity of Thomas's father and made her views against
the institution of marriage publicly known. Since she was a little girl, she knew that she did not want to include marriage in her lifestyle ("Nikki Giovanni" Gale Literary Databases 4). She told an
Ebony representative in an interview: "I had a baby at twenty-five because I wanted to have a baby and I could afford to have a baby. I did not get married because I didn't want to get married and I could
afford not to get married ("Nikki Giovanni" Gale Literary Databases 4)." Now, she was attacked for her life and personal choices as well as her writings.
She frequently appeared on the television program Soul! where she was able to give a media presentation of her poetry. Giovanni says that her spiritual side is to a certain extent
responsible for her vocation as a poet- "I'm spiritual and I believe that God is black. I was baptized in a Baptist church and my poetry springs partly from this source" (Fowler 15).
Many recordings of Nikki's poetry accompanied by gospel music have been produced. When Giovanni's friend Ida Lewis started Encore American and Worldwide News, Nikki
became a regular columnist and invested lots of money to help give financial support. This investment later ate a hole into a great deal of the poet's wealth; when the magazine failed,
the money was gone too (Fowler 15). The author made occasional trips to Africa and Europe several times in the 1970's. Most of her traveling was done with her son's
company. It is not hard to see that Nikki Giovanni leads a fast-paced life. In 1971, she collapsed from exhaustion (Fowler 18). In 1978, her pace was slowed considerably when
her father suffered from a stroke and she chose to stay by his side (Swenson 1). She still continued to write- just at a slower pace. From the 1970's to the 1980's this lady spent her
time giving at least two-hundred lectures and readings all over the country. (Swenson 1). Her father died in 1982. Between 1984 and 1985, Giovanni made it known that she opposed
the boycott of South Africa which caused her to be the target of many bomb threats and death threats (Swenson 1). In 1987, she performed A Signal in the Land with the Johnson City Orchestra.
Recent news in Ms. Giovanni's life centers around her lung cancer that was discovered during a chest x-ray ("Nikki Bounces Back" 1). Giovanni says, "I always try to be useful
(and) I would never say, 'Don't smoke,' she continued to warn- "But if you're smoking, you really should get a chest x-ray; that's what saved my life" ("Nikki Bounces Back" 1).
She underwent a successful operation that removed part of her lung and several ribs. "I am writing a book about my lung cancer and what I am doing to try to live through this
experience which I am entitling 'A Deer in Headlights'." ("May Guest: Nikki Giovanni" 3.) She now spends her time teaching a creative writing course at Virginia Tech. As of right
now, this legend has written over thirty books, ranging from poetry to nonfiction essays (White 1). Nikki Giovanni, the poet, lecturer, essayist, professor at several colleges and
universities, and civil rights advocate, is a main character in our literary history and will continue to affect her readers and critics.
Nikki Giovanni has had so many accomplishments in her life that it is almost impossible to name them all. For a list of some of her accolades and honorary degrees go to the Giovanni
home page in the Virginia Tech English Department URL:
"... she is the most cowardly, bravest, least understanding, most sensitive, slowest to
anger, most quixotic, lyingest, most honest woman I know." (Crosby ix-x).
-Barbara Crosby
-William J. Harris
On June 7, 1943 Nikki Giovanni, pictured at right (Swenson
1), the "Princess of Black Poetry" made her entry into the world. (Linthwaite 188). Her parents, Yolande and Jones Giovanni, named their second child Yolande Cornelia
Giovanni, Jr. Knoxville, Tennessee, though unaware of it at the time, became the birth town of a little girl who would eventually become a very influential person in both the
literary world as well as in the Black struggle for equality. (Giovanni prefers to use the term Black rather than African American when describing the race of her people, which is
seen many times in her writings; she is proud of her heritage.) (Fowler) Two months after baby Yolande's birth, the family packed up their belongings and moved to
Cincinnati, Ohio. When the time came for Nikki to begin her education, she entered a kindergarten class at Oak Avenue School where she was a student until the end of the third
grade (Fowler 6). For the fourth grade year, she was a pupil at St. Simon's, an all Black Episcopal school. Giovanni's father was a hard-working man who tried his best to provide
financial security for his wife and two daughters; thus, he almost always was employed at more than one job (Fowler 6). When the economic status of the Giovanni household
improved, the parents decided to move their home to another black community in Lincoln Heights (Fowler 6). Nikki grew up knowing the meaning of poverty despite the constant
employment her father was engaged in, but Jones and Yolande instilled in them a sense of appreciation for what the family did have (Fowler 7). This encouraged the
self-determination that is present in Nikki's character.
This source is definitely reliable because the information was provided by the writer
herself. Also find a timeline of highlights of the author's life. II. Where Nikki Giovanni Writes Nikki Giovanni, as mentioned earlier, is a professor of creative writing at Virginia
Polytechnic University (VA Tech) in Blacksburg, Virginia. She has been doing this work since 1989, and she enjoys the time she is able to spend with students as well as the time
she is allowed to spend writing after the classroom hours ("Nikki Giovanni" Gale Literary Databases 7). She says, "[Teaching] enriches my life, I mean it keeps reminding all of us
that there are other concerns out there" ("Nikki Giovanni" Gale Literary Databases 7). She has found that the students inspire her; "I run an open office and usually have some coffee
on. I enjoy talking to them about anything" ("Nikki Giovanni" Gale Literary Databases 7). Blacksburg is located in the New River Valley and is about thirty or forty minutes from
Roanoake. This moderately small community with a population of approximately 39,050 is one of the three towns in the county of Montgomery ("About Blacksburg 1). Due to
Blacksburg's elevation, summers and winters are mild. This "typical college town" is near other exciting landmarks such as the Jefferson National Forest, about five miles from the
campus, and the Appalachian Trail, which is only eight miles from the campus. ("Blacksburg and Southwestern Virginia"). Mountains, rivers, and lakes make the area very beautiful.
Visit the Blacksburg Chamber of Commerce:
Here you can see a map that zooms in to show the pinpointed town in relation to the rest of
the state as well as the rest of the region. This might give you a better idea of where Ms. Giovanni is to be found. This site gives an address and a way to contact the chamber via e-mail.
Another site that might come in helpful for getting more acquainted with the Blacksburg area is the Visitor's Center: Blacksburg Electronic Village:
Lots of information about the community, entertainment, education, shopping, the people, and more. Also browse through the photo tour and see some of the places in and around
Blacksburg. Another map is accessible through this site. III. Works, Recordings, and Performances Published Black Feeling, Black Talk - 1968 Legacies: The Poetry of Nikki Giovanni (record) - 1976 (Coeditor) Appalachian Elders: A Warm Hearth Sampler - 1991 If you would like to read an article in full text that Nikki Giovanni wrote for Essence's
thirteenth anniversary, "What We Miss a Tribute," go to IV. Summary
Gemini: An Extended Autobiographical Statement on My First Twenty-Five Years of Being a Black Poet This book is 149 pages of Ms Nikki Giovanni's mind. When I was doing my research on
her, I found that she seemed to be a very hard person to understand; she has a complicated system of beliefs. After I finished reading this work, I feel as if I have broken through some
of the blurriness and my understanding has improved. If readers are trying to get to know the poet, Ms. Giovanni, better, I would definitely recommend this book; although, young
readers should be cautioned about some of the language that is used. High school students are probably capable of reading the words and comprehending her philosophies.
In the beginning and the end of the book, Giovanni tells about her experiences growing up and making her place in the world. She gives interesting and entertaining situations that
make the book easy-reading. The middle of the book is where is most of the deep meaning is found. Here is where the revolutionary poet shines her rays of manipulation; if I were
Black, I would be inspired to seek the change that she is calling for in a heartbeat. She captivates the reader with her use of powerful words and emotion. In Gemini, she admits:
"I didn't want to stay just to see some controversial woman- I could check a mirror or my roommate or half of the people I know for that." Believe me... this book unquestionably
illustrates this characteristic of the author. A series of attacks and degrading comments on the population of Whites really upset me because I have never attacked a person as a
result of their color of skin. She has stereotyped the White men and women into this group of worthless pests that need to be exterminated- "I can well imagine a man sitting in a
village watching the whites approach...He probably ran for the No-Roach." These type of comments are detectable on just about every page of the book, but I can still understand
where she is coming from. If there is one thing that I have learned from my research dealing with Nikki Giovanni, it is to have empathy toward racism. Never before have I ever felt so
outraged by another person discriminating against me for the color of skin of which I was born. Through her writings, I can see what it must have been like for slaves during the
Civil War and Blacks during the Civil Rights Movement. It just does not seem fair for these feelings to exist. V. Interviews with the Writer
White, Evelyn C. "The Poet and the Rapper" Our Muses Nikki Giovanni and Queen Latifah Talk Racism, Rap and Politics. Published in Essence May 1999.
The following interview was conducted in a hotel suite in Los Angeles, California by Evelyn C. White, from the magazine Essence. At the time the interview was given, Ms.
Giovanni, the highly esteemed writer and speaker, was fifty-five years old; while, the renowned rapper as well as actress Dana Owens (better known as Queen Latifah) was
twenty-nine. This "daylong" conversation covers miscellaneous topics as the three women show their respect for one another. To view a longer version of the momentous chat visit: The first thing Essence
establishes is that the two women are "both admired for being such fierce, independent Black women." White continues to ask them how this admiration
makes them feel. Giovanni point blank responds that she is not trying to put on any fronts just to help her public image- "I'm not trying to do anything but be myself and survive...
I'm not a role model, and I've had big arguments with people about that. I just try to live my life and be a decent human being."
As they go on talking, the subject of adventure arises. Giovanni says that she has never been overly adventurous; she says that while everybody is running around doing brave
acts, she is more likely to be somewhere by herself writing poetry about the things they are doing. Giovanni has written about the many assassinations of the last century. Rapper
Tupac Shakur's murder sickened her. She said that "he would have been a combination of Martin Luther King and Malcom X. You didn't have to be smart to see that boy was
dangerous." She believes that King, Malcom X, the Kennedy brothers, and Tupac were killed because of their politics. People felt threatened that they had enough power to make a change for the better.
On the subject of politics, Giovanni also mentioned her feelings on President Clinton. "People keep asking me how come Black people are sticking with the President [Clinton]. I
say...we know a lynching when we see one." Affirmative action is another issue that Nikki Giovanni strongly supports because she asserts that this program is the least the American government can do for the Black
population after "500 years of segregation affirmative action for White people." (sic) Giovanni was yet again very frank when she discussed slavery- "Black people have been
damaged by what has happened to us, and we have a right to present ourselves as such. I was sold. I was not the seller. I'm a victim, and I'm not going to let anybody take that
away from me. For the people who say that's a weak position, I say it's the real position." " A Conversation with Nikki Giovanni" This interview can be found in Virginia C. Fowler's
Nikki Giovanni. Coincidently the talk took place the same weekend that the Clarence Thomas/ Anita Hill scandal was being broadcasted. The date was October 12, 1991 and the setting was Nikki's study. They
begin discussing the clash in the Senate that eventually leads into another discussion on affirmative action. Fowler asked the author if she thought she had to "pay a price for
owning [herself]." The response was, "I'm sure I have but I don't know what; I do look at my career and at my life and I am compelled to say it's good."
Giovanni talked about other authors that "delight" her including Toni Morrison, Gloria Naylor, Alex Haley, and Ernie Gaines. Nikki is asked is there any way that she sees herself
connected to Langston Hughes. She answers in a short sentence or two, "...one of the things Langston taught us, and taught us very well, is that you can write what you believe.
And Langston was of course quite estranged from the black literary establishment." She is also similar to Langston in the musical and poetical mixing department. They both put their
writing to music. Giovanni says that "if [she] could have dinner with anybody, living or dead, [she] would love to have dinner with [ Langston or Lorraine Hansberry]."
When asked what went wrong the Civil Rights Movement, Giovanni answered in her own unique way, "Nothing went wrong. I'm the only person who's ever going to answer this
question this way that I know of. Nothing went wrong with the movement. We did what we set out to do. There were some people who were late in getting the word. Hey! We
won. Nobody wanted to admit that. It's finished." Virginia C. Fowler, a White associate professor of English at Virginia Tech and her interview of Nikki Giovanni, her coworker in
the VA Tech English department, is very in depth. To read about Ms. Giovanni's interactions with McDougal Littell readers and her answers to the questions that they sent in go to
VI. Quotes on Being a Writer, Poetry, and Human Life " Probably the easiest thing in the world...is to become an author. All you have to do is
say you are one. We do not have tests or require licenses or anything like that. You just have to do it and then comes the hard part: you have to find someone to read it" ("May Guest..." 2).
(On family influence related to her writing): "I come from a long line of storytellers. My grandfather was a Latin scholar and he loved the myths, and my mother is a big romanticist,
so we heard a lot of stories growing up… I appreciated the quality and the rhythm of the telling of the stories to write that I wanted to retain that- I didn't want to become the kind of
writer that was stilled or that used language in ways that could not be spoken. I use a very natural rhythm; I want my writing to sound like I talk" ("Nikki Giovanni" Gale Literary Databases 3).
"Humans have so much to learn and so little time in which to learn it that is was and still is a journey that we approach our world and our lives with wonder about what is around the bend" ("May Guest..." 2).
"I write out of my own experiences- which also happen to be the experiences of my people. Human beings fascinate me. I just keep trying to dissect them poetically to see what's there" ("May Guest..." 1)
"We should be our own greatest fans. Then others will join in cheering" ("May Guest..." 3). [On poetry]: "It's a journey without end that we experience until we feel a point of completion" ("May Guest..." 4).
"Most writers spend too much time alone; it is a lonely profession. I am not the only poet to point that out ("Nikki Giovanni" Gale Literary Databases 7)."
"Writing is...what I do to justify the air I breathe" ("Nikki Giovanni Gale Literary Databases 7). "Art is not for the cultivated taste. It is to cultivate the taste" ("Nikki Giovanni" Creative Quotations 1). "We love because it is the only true adventure" ("Nikki Giovanni" Creative Quotations 1). "Children who are truly loved...unconsciously know themselves to be valued. This
knowledge is worth more than any old...The feeling of being valuable-- "I am a valuable person"--is essential to mental health and is a cornerstone of self-discipline. It is a direct
product of parental love ("God Bless the Children" 3). "Rap is to Black music today what gospel was to slavery. Rappers are saying look at my life, look at what it's become" (Washington 1).
"If my next book isn't at least an emotional improvement over my last book, I would never submit it to a publisher. I like to think that there's growth. If there's no growth, there's no reason to publish" (Fowler 125). Giovanni Quotes from Literary Works "A white face goes with a white mind. Occasionally a black face goes with a white mind. Very seldom a white face will have a black mind" (
A Dialogue: James Baldwin and Nikki Giovanni). "Mistakes are a fact of life. It is the response to error that counts" ("Nikki Giovanni" Creative Quotations).
"Black Love is Black Wealth" ("Nikki-Rosa"). VII. Audio "Hear Weekend Edition Sunday's Liane Hansen chat with Nikki Giovanni" at VIII. Contact Ms. Giovanni Office: English Department, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, VA, 24016 IX. Memberships National Council of Negro Women X. Miscellaneous Information Although Ms. Giovanni fully supports the musical genre of rap, she does not listen to it--"I
am an old woman, and I don't bear that well" (Washington 1). She has a tatoo of the words Thug Life "engraved" on her left forearm in memory of the late
Tupac Shakur. She was disturbed by the tragic end of his life (White 1). She was a guest on The Tonight Show on June 14, 1972. She hates parades. (Gemini)
She is afraid of dogs, but they seem to love her. (Gemini) She would like to "take the Space Shuttle for just a day or two to visit with our unknown friends in outer space" (May Guest..." 2).
She dyed her hair blonde one time because she had lung cancer; she needed something to boost her spirits (White 2). XI. Bibliography "Blacksburg Regional Chamber of Commerce." n.d. Crosby, Barbara. Introduction. Gemini: An Extended Autobiographical Statement on My First Twenty-Five Years pf Being a Black Poet. By Nikki Giovanni. New York: Penguin Group, 1971. ix-x.
A Dialogue: James Baldwin and Nikki Giovanni. New York: Lippincott, 1973. Fowler, Virginia. Nikki Giovanni. New York: Twayne, 1992. Giovanni, Nikki. "What We Miss a Tribute." Published in Essence May 2000.
Lonthwaite, Illona., ed. Ain't I a Woman! New York: Wings Books, 1987. "May Guest: Nikki Giovanni." 1999.
"Nikki Giovanni." Creative Quotations. 2000. "Nikki Giovanni." n.d.
"Nikki Giovanni." Poetry Exhibits: The Academy of American Poets. 1997-2000. Swenson, Karen. "Nikki Giovanni." 7 Nov. 2000. "Visitor's Center: Blacksburg Electronic Village." 1998.
This essay was submitted by Susan Lawson, a student in Jean Hamm's Dual Credit English class at Chilhowie High School, Chilhowie, Virginia.
Black Judgment - 1969
Re: Creation- 1970
Night Comes Softly: An Anthology of Black Female Voices (nonfiction) (editor) - 1970
Poems of Angela Yvonne Davis - 1970
Truth Is On Its Way (record) - 1971
Spin a Soft Black Song: Poems for Children - 1972
A Dialogue: James Baldwin and Nikki Giovanni - 1972
Ego Tripping and Other Poems for Young People - 1973
Like a Ripple On a Pond (record) - 1973
A Poetic Equation: Conversations Between Nikki Giovanni and Margaret Walker - 1974
The Women and the Men - 1975
The Way I Feel (record)- 1975
Gemini: An Extended Autobiographical Statement on My First Twenty-Five Years of Being a Black Poet - 1976
The Reason I Like Chocolate (record) - 1976
Cotton Candy on a Rainy Day - 1978
Cotton Candy on a Rainy Day (record) - 1978
Vacation Time: Poems for Children - 1980
Those Who Ride the Night Winds - 1983
Spirit to Spirit (videocassette of PBS production) - 1987
A Signal in the Land performed with the Johnson City Symphony Orchestra (performance)
Sacred Cows... and Other Edibles (essays) - 1988
(coeditor) Images of Blacks in American Culture: A Reference Guide 1988 to Information
Sources
Racism 101 (essays) - 1993
(editor) Grand Mothers: Poems, Reminiscences, and Short Stories about the Keepers of Our Traditions - 1994
Knoxville, Tennessee (children's book) - 1994
(editor) Shimmy Shimmy Shimmy Like My Sister Kate: Looking at the Harlem Renaissance through Poems - 1995
The Sun Is So Quiet - 1996
Selected Poems of Nikki Giovanni - 1996
The Genie in the Jar - 1996
Love Poems - 1997
In Philadelphia - 1997
Blues: For All the Changes: New Poems - 1999
OR
Agent--c/o William Morrow, Inc., 105 Madison Avenue, NY, NY 10016
Society of Magazine Writers
National Black Heroines for PUSH
Winnie Mandela Children's Fund Committee
Delta Sigma Theta
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