Quotes by Nikki Giovanni

About Nikki Giovanni:

Yolande Cornelia "Nikki" Giovanni Jr. is an American writer, commentator, activist, and educator. One of the world's most well-known African American poets, her work includes poetry anthologies, poetry recordings, and nonfiction essays, and covers topics ranging from race and social issues to children's literature. She has won numerous awards, including the Langston Hughes Medal, the NAACP Image Award, and has been nominated for a Grammy Award,for her Nikki Giovanni Poetry Collection. Additionally, she has recently been named as one of Oprah Winfrey’s twenty-five “Living Legends.” (29)
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

I had the privilege of interviewing Mae Jemison, the first Black woman in space, who said she pursued a degree in physics and also became a medical doctor to keep her mind occupied.

Nikki Giovanni

I appreciate and enjoy my age.

Nikki Giovanni

Art is not for the cultivated taste. It is to cultivate taste.

Nikki Giovanni

and everybody was happy that uncle lee was able to get that scholarship even though you wondered when you could do quadratic equations in your head why you had a basketball scholarship but you always knew that you had to take what they were giving si...

Nikki Giovanni

The trip to Mars can only be understood through Black Americans. I say, the trip to Mars can only be understood through Black Americans.

Nikki Giovanni

Now, everything I do, I do because I want to. And I believe the best is yet to come.

Nikki Giovanni

We eat up artists like there's going to be a famine at the end.

Nikki Giovanni

We write because we believe the human spirit cannot be tamed and should not be trained.

Nikki Giovanni

There're two people in the world that are not likeable: a master and a slave.

Nikki Giovanni

If you don't understand yourself you don't understand anybody else.

Nikki Giovanni

A lot of people refuse to do things because they don't want to go naked, don't want to go without guarantee. But that's what's got to happen. You go naked until you die.

Nikki Giovanni

I think one of the nicest things that we created as a generation was just the fact that we could say, 'Hey, I don't like white people.'

Nikki Giovanni

Follow your image as far as you can no matter how useless you think it is. Push yourself.

Nikki Giovanni

If everybody became a poet the world would be much better. We would all read to each other.

Nikki Giovanni

There are things you stand up for because it's right.

Nikki Giovanni

You must invent your own games and teach us old ones how to play.

Nikki Giovanni

If I could come back as anything - I'd be a bird, first, but definitely the command key is my second choice.

Nikki Giovanni

When you are skinning your customers, you should leave some skin on to grow again so that you can skin them again.

Nikki Giovanni

The catchword I use with my classes is: The authority of the writer always overcomes the skepticism of the reader.

Nikki Giovanni

Favorite poems are like favorite children. We definitely have them but we never tell as the others would have their feelings hurt.

Nikki Giovanni

Author Bio

  • NameNikki Giovanni
  • DescriptionAmerican writer and academic
  • BornJune 7, 1943
  • CountryUnited States Of America
  • ProfessionWoman Of Letters; Poet