Iconic Poet and Activist Nikki Giovanni Has Died at Age 81 — Her Cause of Death Explored

On Dec. 9, 2024, Nikki Giovanni, a renowned Black and queer poet, author, activist, and professor, died. The literary trailblazer was 81 at the time of her death. Nikki's friend and fellow author, Renee Watson, announced the news via social media.

Born Yolande Cornelia “Nikki” Giovanni on June 7, 1943, the Knoxville, Tenn. native, who also grew up in Cincinnati, Ohio, spent her life liberating Black and queer people through her work, which she continued until her last days. Here are the details on her cause of death and the legacy she leaves behind.

Nikki died on Monday, Dec. 9, from a long battle with lung cancer. According to WDBJ, she had battled cancer twice before her final diagnosis. Despite her illness, Nikki continued working on projects and was recently awarded the 2024 Emmy for Exceptional Merit in Documentary Filmmaking for Going to Mars: The Nikki Giovanni Project.

Nikki was surrounded by her loved ones in her final moments. Her wife, Virginia "Ginney" Fowler, was by her side, along with their son, Thomas Giovanni, and granddaughter. Nikki's friend, poet Kwame Alexander, also confirmed he and Renee supported her through her transition, which came easy to them considering how much she guided them throughout her life.

Kwame said in a statement: “The poet Adrienne Rich wrote ‘…somehow, each of us will help the other live, and somewhere, each of us must help the other die.’ Renée Watson and I sat by her side, with Ginney, along with family and close friends, chatting about how much we learned about living from her, about how lucky we have been to have Nikki guide us, teach us, and love us. We will forever be grateful for the unconditional time she gave to us, to all her literary children across the writerly world.”

Nikki's legacy includes over 50 years of published literary work. After graduating from Fisk University, she debuted her first poetry collection, Black Feeling, Black Talk in 1968, which featured one of her most famous poems, Nikki-Rosa. Nikki also wrote Black Judgement in 1969, calling for action against racial and social injustice. She also wrote pieces about love and loneliness.

She continued writing throughout the decades, penning a children's poetry book, Ego-Tripping and Other Poems for Young People, and other poetry collections like Love Poems.

Nikki's poetry earned her the title of "Poet of the Black Revolution," an honor she obtained throughout the rest of her life. However, she didn't stop writing her work. She often used her voice to collaborate with other cultural giants such as Rosa Parks, James Baldwin, Nina Simone, Aretha Franklin, and Muhammad Ali. Nikki and James's conversation on Soul! in 1971, which occurred when she was 28 and he was 47, remains one of her most referenced bodies of work.

The prolific writer also gave back as a faculty professor at Virginia Tech teaching creative writing and literature until she retired in 2022. While at Virginia Tech, Nikki advised the school that she was concerned about one of her students. That student became responsible for the college's 2007 shooting. Amid the news, she crafted a powerful chant-poem for the memorial, capturing the community's resilience.

Though she could've stopped creating in her later years, Nikki did the complete opposite. Her final poetry book, The Last Book, will be released in 2025. While the poet was preparing for her final project, she shared in an interview with NPR that, though she inspired countless writers—including myself—to share their truths through their work, she wasn't hung up on her legacy.

"It gets you caught up in your life, and your life is not about your life," Nikki explained when asked why she doesn't think about her legacy. "Your life is about your duty. And so, no, I don't think about it."

There will never be another.