Nikki Giovanni, Poet and Noted Virginia Tech Professor, Dies at 81

BLACKSBURG, Va. – Nikki Giovanni, the acclaimed poet, Virginia Tech Professor and Black Arts Movement Icon, died at the age of 81 on Monday.

She died peacefully with her lifelong partner, Virginia Fowler, by her side.

Yolande Cornelia “Nikki” Giovanni was born in Knoxville, Tennessee on June 7, 1943, and served as a University Distinguished Professor in the English Department at Virginia Tech.

Giovanni received hundreds of awards and honors, most recently a 2024 Emmy for Exceptional Achievement in Documentary Filmmaking for Going to Mars: The Nikki Giovanni Project.

Giovanni was also one of the cultural icons of the Black Arts and Civil Rights Movements. She became friends with Rosa Parks, Aretha Franklin, James Baldwin, Nina Simone and Muhammad Ali.

Having battled cancer twice already, Giovanni refused to let a third battle interrupt her art. Just three weeks ago, she performed with saxophonist Javon Jackson at the Louis Armstrong House in New York City. Her forthcoming book of poetry, The Last Book, will be published in autumn 2025.

“The poet Adrienne Rich wrote ‘…somehow each of us will help the other to live, and somewhere each of us must help the other to die.’ Renée (Watson) and I sat by her side, along with Ginney, along with family and close friends, talking about how much we learned about living from her, how lucky we were to have Nikki to guide us , teach us, love us. We will be forever grateful for the unconditional time she gave us, to all her literary children throughout the writing world,” said poet Kwame Alexander.

Giovanni is survived by his wife Virginia Fowler, her son Thomas Giovanni, her grandson Kai Giovanni, two cousins, Haynes Ford and Allison Ragan, and a nephew Christopher Black.

“We will forever feel blessed to have shared a legacy and love with our dear cousin,” Allison Ragan said on behalf of the family