Nikki Giovanni, a renowned literary legend and retired Virginia Tech professor, has completed her final chapter.

The acclaimed poet, activist, and University Distinguished Professor Emerita passed away on Dec. 9, after battling cancer for the third time. She was 81 years old.

Giovanni, whom Oprah Winfrey named one of 25 living legends, retired from Virginia Tech in 2022 after 35 years as a professor in the Department of English.

Still, she continued a busy speaking, traveling, and writing schedule, including returning to campus to present the annual Giovanni-Steger Poetry Prize Award to undergraduate students in April. Giovanni, along with the late Virginia Tech President Charles W. Steger, created the competition in 2006, offering monetary prizes for student poets.

“We can never let words be silenced,” said Giovanni during the Moss Arts Center ceremony. “We can never let words be taken away from us. We can never let people, because they don't like what we're saying, shut us up. Words are the most important things that human beings have. And no matter what the situation, we must always remember to use them.”

Many Hokies can attest to the power of Giovanni’s words - both spoken and written. She is known around the world for her poetry, essays, and written work that delve into social issues, such as race and gender, and call for action. She has received more than 30 honorary degrees, published at least 11 illustrated children’s books, and even won an Emmy for Exceptional Merit in Documentary Filmmaking for “Going to Mars: The Nikki Giovanni Project.”

Her latest book of poetry, called "The Last Book," is set for publication in fall 2025.

“To know Nikki was to be forever changed by her,” said Laura Belmonte, dean of the College of Liberal Arts and Human Sciences. “One minute, she would say something that would make you laugh so hard you would cry. The next minute, she would say something that would haunt you for months and make you reevaluate the world as you knew it. She was a force of nature and our college, Virginia Tech, and the world itself are better for her impact on all of them.”

Giovanni used her words to mark some of the university’s historic and untimely events. She wrote poems for the April 16 tragedy and for the Class of 2020’s commencement ceremony at the height of the pandemic.

“Nikki Giovanni was a treasure who lived out Ut Prosim in countless ways, using her literary gifts to motivate change, encourage critical thought, inspire us to dream, and provide comfort in times of sadness and grief,” said Virginia Tech President Tim Sands. “Her spirit endures through her words and the students she inspired to express themselves through writing and poetry. She will be deeply missed and forever remembered by her Hokie family.”

In 2023, she was the fifth recipient of Virginia Tech's Ut Prosim Scholar Award.

Giovanni also supported the university in a variety of ways, including as a member of the Legacy Society. In 2010, Giovanni and Virginia Fowler, a retired English professor and Giovanni’s wife, created the Fowler-Giovanni Fund, a legacy gift to support initiatives for visiting scholars and students in the Department of English.

Giovanni grew up in Ohio, but spent summers with her grandparents in Knoxville, Tennessee, where she was born. She joined Virginia Tech in 1987, when Fowler recruited her. Giovanni brought to campus a unique spirit of community and inclusion, from hosting a campus-wide fish fry to inviting renowned authors Maya Angelou and Rita Dove.

Three students stand with woman.
Nikki Giovanni (at center) poses with the winners of the 2024 Giovanni-Steger Poetry Ceremony. They are (from left) Ayah Ali, Emily Paquette, and Caroline Foltz. Photo by Leslie King for Virginia Tech.

When she retired, she said she would miss talking with Virginia Tech students regularly. Her ultimate goal as a professor was to teach students to think deeply and ask questions.

“I want my students to not accept what they are hearing, but to look and say ‘what kind of sense does this make?’ and ‘what is going to be the end result?’” said Giovanni at the time of her retirement.

One former student, now a New York Times bestselling author and Emmy Award-winning producer, can attest to the ways that Giovanni set him on a path to success. As a sophomore at Virginia Tech, author Kwame Alexander’s first class under Giovanni was advanced poetry. It didn’t go well initially.

“I was that student who argued everything and pushed back on anything she offered,” Alexander said. “I thought I knew more than she did about poetry. Yet she kept letting me take her classes, kept teaching me, saw what was possible for me, and shaped me into who I am today.”

Giovanni became who Alexander described as his literary mother.

“I’m so grateful and so much better because of her,” he said.

Giovanni is survived by Fowler, her son, Thomas Giovanni, her granddaughter, Kai Giovanni, and other family members.

“We will forever feel blessed to have shared a legacy and love with our dear cousin,” said Allison Ragan, Giovanni’s cousin, in a statement on behalf of her family.

Virginia Tech alumni, students, and faculty reflect on Giovanni’s influence

Will Furrer ‘91, former Hokie and NFL quarterback who majored in English

Furrer said Giovanni’s classes were the key to helping him find his voice. Her classroom discussions spanned multiple topics, from music and art to political issues.

“I think she was trying to work the room in a way that was challenging the way we thought in the past or the way that we would think in the future,” said Furrer, an executive fellow for strategy for Q2 banking in Austin, Texas.

He described Giovanni’s pointed questions as constant voices on his shoulder throughout his career.

“That’s the way in which Nikki was able to pass on her creative brilliance to so many others, with these very simple and portable lessons,” Furrer said.  

Aileen Murphy, senior English instructor who directs the annual Giovanni-Steger Poetry Prize competition

“Nikki Giovanni was a bright light in our lives. She regularly brought poetry to everyone’s experience at Virginia Tech, not only as a teacher and a colleague, but also with the poetry prize that she established with President Charles Steger. Every undergraduate student, no matter what field they are in, is encouraged to submit a poem to this competition, sending the message that everyone is capable of making art focusing on, remembering, and celebrating the big and the small moments in our lives. There are many positive qualities of the Virginia Tech student experience, but this is one that gets to our very soul as a university.”

Kelly Barker, a junior at Virginia Tech, majoring in creative writing and professional and technical writing

“When Prof. Giovanni was onstage, it didn’t matter if she was reciting poetry, singing, or telling jokes. The audience always hung on to her every word. She could work a crowd like she was born for it, and could make people laugh and cry with a single poem. Her spirit was infectious and her words and works uplifted everyone who was lucky enough to be her audience.”

Amy Price Azano, professor of adolescent literacy and rural education

Azano invited Giovanni to speak and read her poems to middle school students who live in rural areas of the state for a one-week camp on Virginia Tech’s campus. When Giovanni walked into the room, the students greeted her like they would a rock star.

“I watched in awe as she captivated a room of middle schoolers,” Azano said. “Nobody ever tells kids the truth, and Nikki spoke with them as if they were old friends. She entertained every question. We laughed with her when she shared that she had recently been an answer on Jeopardy, and that made her feel famous — but then the contestant answered ‘Alice Walker!’ On one hand, the campers knew they were in the presence of someone renowned, but her humility and humor and keen kindness made them feel like they belonged in the same places where she belonged.”

Giovanni taught the students that being authentic and sharing their own stories and truth is valuable, she said.

“I know she belonged to the world and was, in fact, otherworldly, but she was also ours,” Azano said.

Gena Chandler, associate chair of the Department of English and associate professor

“Nikki was a wonder. So many people knew her as a phenomenal poet and teacher, but she was an even more exceptional human being—extraordinarily kind, compassionate, and loving.”

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