Prairie View A&M University, the second-oldest public institution of higher education in Texas, has named the prestigious poet, Nikki Giovanni, as the institution’s 2021-2022 Writer-in-Residence in the Toni Morrison Writing Program. The Langston Hughes Medal recipient will begin her new appointment in Sept. when she will conduct a three-day virtual series.
Giovanni, 78, is currently a University Distinguished Professor at Virginia Tech. Born in Knoxville, Tennessee, Giovanni became well-known for her poetic contributions to the Black Arts Movement of the 1960s and 1970s. Her following works would include bringing a focus to social issues and the human condition through her writings Black Feeling, Black Talk (1968), Black Judgement (1968), The Women and The Men (1975), and Those Who Ride The Night Winds (1983), to name a few. She has also written 13 children’s books and recorded seven albums containing her poetry.
The highly decorated poet and activist has been honored with many awards, including seven NAACP Image Awards, Oprah Winfrey’s 25 Living Legends, the Literary Excellence Award, and the Maya Angelou Lifetime Achievement Award (2017). Giovanni is the recipient of 27 honorary degrees from universities such as, Florida A&M University, Fisk University, and Mount Saint Mary’s College.
Back in 2020, writer and philanthropist Toni Morrison donated $50 million to Prairie View A&M, with $3 million going directly into the Morrison Writing Program. The Toni Morrison Writing Program provides developmental resources and visibility to African American writers. Championed by Provost Emerita and Professor E. Johanne Thomas-Smith, the program enables writers to gain more exposure through masterclasses, mentoring networks, public readings of their works, and writing contests.
