Remembering Nikki Giovanni

Episode notes

American poet Yolanda Cornelia ‘Nikki’ Giovanni looks down, circa 1968. (Photo by Pictorial Parade/Getty Images)

Nikki Giovanni died earlier this month at the age 81. We were fortunate enough to get to talk with her in 2021 and wanted to revisit our conversation with the late poet.  

When Nikki Giovanni would write a poem, she’d write plainly. She’d recount a conversation with an old woman she had when she was younger… and basically just let the conversation play out as it happened. 

She’d recount her childhood memories the way a journalist might: chores she used to do, old habits her grandpa had. She’ll describe clothes: a red swimsuit, blue sandals.

It’s poetry that catches you off-guard. Plain language that evokes memories and talks about bigger ideas. 

Giovanni was born in Tennessee in 1943, raised mostly in Ohio. Her early work focused on the civil rights movement—not chronicling it, really, but reacting to it. The hope, the exhilaration, the grief, the anger. 

She collaborated with James Baldwin, was friends with Maya Angelou, interviewed Mohammad Ali, published dozens of books—both poetry and essays. 

When Nikki Giovanni joined us on the show, she’d just written what would be her last poetry collection called Make Me Rain. It’s a deeply personal work that offers readers a glimpse into the author’s mind. Nikki talked about the first poem she remembered writing, overcoming teenage angst and why she was not afraid—excited even—to find life on Mars. Plus, she told us why never being satisfied can be toxic.

This interview originally aired in March of 2021.