Nikki Giovanni, a well-known literary legend and retired professor at Virginia Tech, has closed her final chapter.

The celebrated poet, activist and university professor emeritus died on December 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.

Nevertheless, she remained busy lecturing, traveling and writing, including returning to campus to present the annual Giovanni Steger Prize for Poetry to undergraduate students in April. Giovanni, along with the late Virginia Tech President Charles W. Steger, created the competition in 2006 and awarded cash prizes to student poets.

“We must never allow words to be silenced,” Giovanni said during the ceremony at the Moss Arts Center. “We must never allow words to be taken away from us. We must never allow people to silence us because they don’t like what we say. Words are the most important thing a person has. And no matter the situation, we must always remember to use it.”

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 works that address 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 Outstanding Achievement in Documentary Filmmaking for “Going to Mars: The Nikki Giovanni Project.”

Her latest volume of poetry is scheduled to be published in fall 2025.

“Knowing Nikki meant she changed her forever,” 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 because of her influence on them all.”