SUMMARY
Nikki Giovanni, a fierce and lyrical voice of the Black experience, has died. Giovanni's work illuminated love, liberation and the unyielding power of self-expression. Tributes are pouring in from across the country as admirers and friends mourn the passing of a literary legend.
View the transcript of the story.
News alternative: Check out recent segments from the NewsHour, and choose the story you’re most interested in watching. You can make a Google doc copy of discussion questions that work for any of the stories here.
Alternative, if short on time: Watch the story or read the transcript. Then answer these "See, Think, Wonder" questions: What did you notice? What did the story make you think? What would you want to learn more about?
WARM-UP QUESTIONS
- What are some of the themes or topics of Nikki Giovanni's poems?
- How did Giovanni criticize some strategies or figures of the Civil Rights movement?
- Where did Giovanni provide words of comfort after a shooting incident?
- Who is Kwame Alexander?
- Why does Alexander say that Giovanni was an inspiration for many?
FOCUS QUESTION
After watching this segment, what do you think is most notable about Nikki Giovanni's life and career?
Media literacy: Do you think news channels should focus more on the lives and impact of art and artists? Why or why not?
FOR MORE
What students can do: Listen to Nikki Giovanni read her poem "Knoxville, Tennessee" below (or read it here) and discuss —
- How does Giovanni create images of a certain time and place using words?
- What parts of the text reveal that Giovanni's visits to Knoxville were important to her has a child?
If there is time, try writing your own poem about a place that you visited when you were younger (or still do!) that follows the same form as "Knoxville, Tennessee."
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