Profile Text
Birth Name: Yolande Cornelia Giovanni, Jr.
Date of Birth: June 7, 1943
Place of Birth: Knoxville, Tennessee, U.S.
Date of Death: December 9, 2024
Place of Death: Blacksburg, Virginia, U.S.
Ethnicity: African-American, as well as one eighth Italian
Nikki Giovanni was an American poet, author, activist, educator, commentator, and television personality. She was involved in the Black Arts Movement of the 1960s and 1970s, and wrote numerous poetry anthologies, essays, and children’s books, as well as recorded spoken word albums. She also appeared on the television series Soul! She was a professor at Virginia Tech, where she commemorated the 2007 massacre.
Nikkie was the daughter of Yolande Cornelia (Watson) and Jones/Gus Giovanni. Her father was born in Alabama. Her mother was born in Albany, Dougherty, Georgia. She was raised mostly in Lincoln Heights, Ohio, near Cincinnati, and then Wyoming, OH. Nikki was married to academic and author Virginia Fowler, and had a son.
Nikki’s paternal grandfather was named Thomas Giovanni (the son of Susan Knox). Thomas was born in Alabama. On the 1880 U.S. Census, Thomas lists his father’s birthplace as Italy. Susan was born in South Carolina.
Nikki’s paternal grandmother was named Mattie Lou Jones. Mattie was born in Alabama.
Nikki’s maternal grandfather was John Brown Watson (the son of George Washington Watson and Cornelia Warren). John was born in Albany, Dougherty, Georgia. George was born in Georgia, the son of Ralph R. Watson and Delia Braxton. Cornelia was born in Albany, the daughter of James Warren and Julia.
Nikki’s maternal grandmother was named Emma Louvenia Terrell. Emma was born in Albany, Dougherty, Georgia.
Source: https://nikki-giovanni.com