TRUTHSayers Speaker Series: Nikki Giovanni

TRUTHSayers Speaker Series features the Award-winning writer and poet Nikki Giovanni. She has written more than thirty volumes of poetry and prose, including several children’s books. Among the latter is Rosa, awarded the coveted Caldecott Medal. Her adult poetry books range from such early volumes as Black Feeling Black Talk/Black Judgement and My House to more recent ones such as Bicycles, Quilting the Black-Eyed Pea, and Make Me Rain. Giovanni is the recipient of numerous honors and awards, including Woman of the Year Awards from both Ebony and Mademoiselle magazines; Governor’s Awards from both Tennessee and Virginia; keys to more than two dozen cities; some 30 Honorary Doctorates; and, most recently, the Ruth Lilly Poetry Prize from the Poetry Foundation. She has also recorded several award-winning spoken-word albums, among them Truth Is On The Way and The Nikki Giovanni Poetry Collection. Giovanni recently retired from Virginia Tech as University Distinguished Professor Emerita.

This series is an ongoing program bringing today’s preeminent speakers and artists to the Center to reflect on current events and share unique and thought-provoking material in hopes of inspiring racial awareness and understanding between people.