Nikki Giovanni was once known as the princess of black poetry, but nowadays she shares the queendom with the likes of Maya Angelou. Bold, forthright and sharp, Giovanni has paved the way for new generations of young black poets, she celebrated hip hop and recognized its power before many of her peers did. Nikki Giovanni fought and won her battle with breast cancer and came out with an unabashedly blond hairdo for her struggles, and when her students and peers at Virginia Tech needed an unwaver
