Nikki Giovanni Audio & Video

In this talk from the Harvard Graduate School of Education, Nikki Giovanni tells many stories from her life and reads from her 2002 collection of poetry Quilting the Black-Eyed Pea: Poems and Not Quite Poems.

In the 1960s, Nikki Giovanni was a revolutionary poet of the Black Arts Movement that nourished civil rights. She had a famous dialogue with James Baldwin in Paris in 1971.

One of the most significant occurrences in America during the 20th century was the rise of African-American writers to the forefront of literature.

Author, spoken word artist, poet, essayist, professor, Nikki Giovanni has been electrifying audiences for more than 40 years, earning her one of Oprah Winfrey's Living Legends distinctions.

In a career that has spanned over three decades, Nikki Giovanni has perceptively recorded her observations of both the outside world and the gentle yet enigmatic territory of the self.

The poetry of Nikki Giovanni has spurred movements, turned hearts, and informed generations.

One of America's most celebrated poets challenges us with this powerful and deeply personal collection of verse that speaks to the injustices of society while illuminating the depths of her own heart.