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- Date of Birth: June 7, 1943
- Place of Birth: Knoxville, Tennessee
- Claim to Fame: poet, writer, social activist, and educator
Full name: Yolanda Cornelia "Nikki" Giovanni, Jr.
Born in Knoxville, Tennessee, and raised in Cincinnati, Ohio, Nikki Giovanni is one of Americas most read poets. She has written over two dozen books, which include volumes of poetry, children's books and collected essays. A CD of her poetry was a contender for the Grammy Award in the spoken word category in 2003. Among her most popular poems are "EgoTripping" and "All Eyez On You," written in memory of rapper Tupac Shakur and referring to his album All Eyez On Me.
The recipient of over 20 honorary doctorates, Giovanni has been named "Woman of the Year" by Ebony, Mademoiselle and Ladies Home Journal. Additional honors include the Langston Hughes award for Distinguished Contributions to Arts and Letters in 1996 and the NAACP Image Award for Literature in 1998, 2000 and 2003. Nikki Giovanni is currently a professor of English and Gloria D. Smith Professor of Black Studies at Virginia Tech, where she has been a member of faculty since 1987.
Last updated: March 16, 2009.
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