March 01, 2004
Author Nikki Giovanni to speak at SIUC March 3
CARBONDALE, Ill. - Nikki Giovanni, a poet, author, commentator, activist and educator, will speak at Southern Illinois University Carbondale on Wednesday, March 3.
Nikki Giovanni: Racism 101" will start at 7:30 p.m. in the Student Center Ballrooms. Admission is free.
Yolande Cornelia "Nikki" Giovanni Jr., is a native of Knoxville, Tenn. Since 1987, she has taught writing and literature at Virginia Tech, where she is a University Distinguished Professor. She is the author of more than two dozen books, including volumes of poetry, illustrated children's books and three collections of essays, including her latest, "Racism 101."
Giovanni is the recipient of 19 honorary doctorates and a variety of other honors, including "Woman of the Year" awards from three magazines as well as a Governor's Award in the Arts from both Tennessee and Virginia.
Her two most recent volumes of poetry, "Love Poems" and "Blues: For All the Changes," won NAACP Image Awards in 1998 and 2000, respectively.
SIUC's Student Programming Council is sponsoring her appearance.