Post on 11-May-2015
description
Quick Biography• Real name- Yolande
Cornelia, known as Nikki Giovanni
• Born in Knoxville, Tennessee, on June 7, 1943
• Grew up in Cincinnati, Ohio
• Poet, writer, and teacher• Since 1987, Nikki was a
professor in Virginia Tech• Famous for her love
poems, life, and children poems
Awards• 1985- The Ohio Women’s
Hall of Fame Outstanding Woman of Tennessee
• 1994- Tennessee Writer’s Award, The Nashville Banner
• 1998- NAACP Image award for love poems
• 1998-Inviteed guest to the White House
• 1999- Voted Ohio’s favorite Author of poetry
….continuing…
• 2000- Virginia Governor's Awards for the Arts
• 2002- The Shero Award for Lifetime Achievement
• 2003- Name one of the “History Makers”
• 2004- Nominated for a Best Spoken Word Grammy in the 46th Annual Grammy Awards (“The Nikki Giovanni Poetry Collection)
• And many others….
Most Famous Poems
• One of the most famous poems is Ego Tripping
• Knoxville Tennessee• Nikki-Rosa • All Eyes On You• Black Judgment• My House• Cotton Candy On a
Rainy Day
Famous Children Poems
• The Sun Is So Quiet• Knoxville, Tennessee• The Genie in The Jar• Hip Hop Speaks to
Children• The Grasshopper’s
Song
Inspiration
• The “Ego Tripping” and the “All Eyes On You” were inspired and written in the memory of Tupac Shakur and referring to his album All Eyes On Me (Jan McDaniel)
• Her writing is based on facts that she has experienced to some point.
• When interviewed and asked the “Who or what inspired you to write?” by Scholastic, her answer was “I’m just totally fascinated by people.”
Little Facts
• Began writing since college
• Had a great childhood and great parents
• Wrote her first poem at about sixteen or seventeen.
…continuing..
• Some of Giovanni’s poems are about love some talk about politics.
• Some of her poems such as Cotton Candy on a Rainy Day , talk about life in the 1970’s when the Civil Rights were very shallow. (Virgina C. Powler)
Why I choose Nikki Giovanni?
• Last year, I have read a few poems by Nikki Giovanni. I found her writing very interesting. That’s why I decided to read more of her poems.