An Afternoon with Nikki Giovanni

By Lindsey Ward

Published: April 8, 2008

Nikki Giovanni inspired millions with her words, rallying a community to overcome and when we round the one year anniversary of the April 16th shootings she’s chosen to bow out of the spotlight.

“I have nothing new to say and the university has a spokesman, I have no expertise, I’m just a poet,“ Giovanni said.

Despite her vow of silence, she did reflect on the past year in an interview with WSLS.  Giovanni remains humble when asked about her involvement and leadership in the shadows of tragedy.

“I think its just one of those moments.  I know to some degree people will know me for that, but I just did my job.  I just drove the bus that day,“ she explained.

Just like after April 16th, she’s spent the majority of her life putting on to paper her experiences, now she’s encouraging Continuing Education students to do the same.  Her message to is clear, leave your mark on the world in writing.

“Now we have a way of ordinary working people to say this is who I am, this is who my daddy was,“ Giovanni explained.

While her entire life is documented in her work, she looks forward to her future with her Hokie family with high hopes.

“This is going to be the century of the Hokies, I like that, a good Hokie in the White House would be good,“ she said.