Nikki Giovanni -The Struggle of an Africa-American Woman

Nikki Giovanni through her work has become one of the most celebrated and controversial poets in the nation. In her three decade career she has published thirteen books of poetry. Giovanni’s involvement to the Civil Rights Movement influenced her first three poem books. Throughout her career she has obtained many awards and titles for her poetry as well as for her demeanor.

Giovanni was born under the name of Yolande Cornelia Giovanni Jr. on June 7, 1943, in Knoxville Tennessee. Soon after she was born her family moved to Cincinnati, Ohio were she lived all her childhood. In 1957, she made the decision to move back to Knoxville, with her grandparents. There she attended Austin High School. She graduated early and enrolled at Fisk University, in Nashville, as and early entrant. In 1961, her grandfather Brown Watson died and caused her to be dismissed form Fisk and return to Cincinnati. In 1964, Giovanni reenters Fisk; were in three years she graduates. That same year in Cincinnati she organized the first Black Arts Festival. This festival was meant to create awareness of arts in the Black Community. The festival was held in The New Theater.

. . .
Giovanni was also fully committed to the concept of “Black Power.

« In 1957, she moves in with grandparents in Knoxville, and attends Austin High School. And Other Edibles received the Ohioana Library Award. During the 1970’s loneliness and family affection became increasingly important themes in her poetry. Nikki dreamt of being the person that would end all and any problems there would be in the world. She begins her career as a supporter of violence in the Civil Rights Movement. She receives Honorary Doctorate of Humanities from Fisk University. She talks about being the negotiator and using her knowledge to get through everyone’s mind. In the end she comes to the conclusion that she is a woman and all she needed to do to change the world is be herself.

Giovanni throughout her career has received many awards for her achievements and accomplishments, such as in 1971 she received the Highest Achievement Award From Mademoiselle magazine. and Other Edibles (1988)

Racism 101 by (1995)

Nikki Giovanni and Virginia C. Fowler

Love Poems (1997)

The Women and the Men (1998)

Blues for All Changes (1999)

Illustrated by: George Ford, and Virginia Hamilton

For Children

Spin a Soft Black Song (1971)

Ego-Tripping and Other Poems for Young People (1973)

Vacation Time: Poems for Children (1981)

Knoxville, Tennessee (1994)

The Genie in the Jar (1996)

The Sun Is So Quiet : Poems (1996)

Illustrated by: Ashley Bryan

Edited By Nikki Giovanni

Night Comes Softly (1970)

Grand Mothers Poems Reminiscences, and Short Stories About

the Keepers of Our Traditions(1994)

Shimmy Shimmy Shimmy Like My Sister Kate : Looking at the

Harlem Renaissance Through Poems (1996)

Illustrated by: Chris Raschka . She received a grant from the National Foundation of the Arts to attend Columbia University’s School of Fine Arts in 1968.

« In 1967, receives Bachelor of arts from Fisk.

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Approximate Word count = 1391
Approximate Pages = 6 (250 words per page double spaced)

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