Legendary Poet Nikki Giovanni Passes Away at 81

The literary world loses another legend.

According to the Associated Press, renowned poet-activist Nikki Giovanni died at the age of 81 on Monday. While the AP doesn’t explicitly state her cause of death, The Washington Post reports that her friend Kwame Alexander shared a statement revealing that Giovanni died due to complications of lung cancer. Her partner Virginia “Ginney” Fowler was by her side at the time of her passing. Giovanni’s family released a statement on the matter yesterday.

“We will forever feel blessed to have shared a legacy and love with our dear cousin,” Giovanni’s cousin Allison (Pat) Ragan, wrote in the family’s statement.

Giovanni’s friend Renée Watson, also a writer, made her own announcement the same day: "The acclaimed poet, Black Arts Movement icon whose poems of wit, wonder, and wisdom were celebrated in children's books, on keynote stages and television shows, and in more than two dozen bestselling poetry collections, died peacefully on December 9, 2024, with her life-long partner, Virginia [Ginney] Fowler, by her side.”

In a career that stretched more than 50 years, Giovanni earned a reputation as one of the most skillful — and most passionate — writer-activists of her era. Poetry books like her “Black Feeling Black Talk” collection sold thousands of copies while helping make her into one of the most renowned creatives in the Black literary tradition. Using her platform — and her writings themselves — she struck the heart of the human condition while exploring themes of gender and race. In 2023, Going to Mars, a documentary centered on Giovanni, earned critical acclaim.

OKP sends condolences to Giovanni’s friends and family.