Nikki Giovanni, the poet, author, educator and public speaker who rose from borrowing money to release her first book to decades as a literary celebrity sharing her takes on everything from racism and love to space travel and mortality, has died. She was 81. Giovanni died yesterday with her life-long partner Virginia [Ginney] Fowler by her side. Author of more than 25 books, Giovanni was a born confessor and performer whom fans came to know her well from her work, her readings and other live appearances and her years teaching at Virginia Tech and other schools.
