BLACKSBURG, Va. — Nikki Giovanni, the celebrated poet, Virginia Tech professor and icon of the Black Arts Movement, died Monday at age 81.

She died peacefully in the presence of her partner Virginia Fowler.

Yolande Cornelia “Nikki” Giovanni was born on June 7, 1943 in Knoxville, Tennessee and served as a University Distinguished Professor in the English Department at Virginia Tech.

Giovanni has received hundreds of awards and honors, most recently a 2024 Emmy for Exceptional Achievement in Documentary Filmmaking Heading to Mars: The Nikki Giovanni Project.

Giovanni was also one of the cultural icons of the Black Arts and Civil Rights movements. She became friends with Rosa Parks, Aretha Franklin, James Baldwin, Nina Simone and Muhammad Ali.

Having already battled cancer twice, Giovanni refused to let her art be interrupted a third time. Just three weeks ago, she performed with saxophonist Javon Jackson at the Louis Armstrong House in New York City. Her upcoming poetry collection “The Last Book” will be published in fall 2025.

“Poet Adrienne Rich wrote: ‘…somehow everyone helps each other live, and somewhere everyone must help each other die.’ Renée (Watson) and I sat with Ginney at her side, along with family and close friends, and talked about how much we learned about life from her, how lucky we were to have Nikki guide us, teach us, and love us . We will forever be grateful for the unconditional time she gave to us and to all her literary children throughout the writing world,” said poet Kwame Alexander.

Giovanni is survived by her wife, Virginia Fowler, her son, Thomas Giovanni, her granddaughter, Kai Giovanni, two cousins, Haynes Ford and Allison Ragan, and a nephew, Christopher Black.

“We will forever feel blessed to have shared a legacy and a love with our dear cousin,” Allison Ragan said on behalf of the family