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Nikki Giovanni

Nikki Giovanni Quotes

Writer

Nikki Giovanni is an American poet, writer, and activist, born on June 7, 1943. She is renowned for her poignant and evocative poetry that frequently tackles social and political issues. Giovanni's writing has had a profound impact on the African American literary community and beyond, earning her numerous awards and accolades for her literary contributions.

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All People Thinking Ifs Poetry Black Poem Want Writing Needs African Americans Blacks Knows Nina Should World Humans Book Life Love Poet

Famous Nikki Giovanni Quotes

“We obviously need the truth. We're living in a country of lies.”

Needs Country Lying

Author:Nikki Giovanni

“Fanatics are, for one thing, boring and, for another, unreliable. They tend to burn out just when you need them.”

Needs One Thing Boring Fanatics Fanaticism Unreliable Burn Out

Book:Sacred cows-- and other edibles

Source: Sacred cows-- and other edibles

“I have not tried to tell the people anything. I have shared my views with the people but I have not tried to lead or correct them, assuming they need correction.”

People Needs Views Assuming Corrections

Author:Nikki Giovanni

“Everyone understands that love comes in many different packages and is used in many different ways. You cannot love beyond your years, nor can you fail to love beneath them... In other words, I think you get the love you need when you open your heart.”

Thinking Way Needs Years Heart Different Used Love Is Failing Love You Different Ways Packages Open Your Heart

Author:Nikki Giovanni

“I am a big fan of the electronic book. I hate to see the old bookstores close, but they have to reinvent themselves. I believe the First Edition bookstore will be the next thing. People will read electronically, then decide they want to own that book. The author will then be invited to the old bookstores to sign. I think books will always be with us, but they will fill a different need.”

People Thinking Want Needs Firsts Believe Book Different Bigs Hate Next I Believe Fans I Hate Invited Bookstores

Author:Nikki Giovanni

“Young people coming up who are having difficulty with their so-called celebrity need to get back into their lives. It's your life and you can't let the fact that you do something pretty good take away the joy of it.”

People Needs Facts Young Joy Difficulty Get Back

Author:Nikki Giovanni

“You have to use what you have in order to get what you need and the people can not be rich unless somebody is rich. The Hip-Hop generation has carried more people with it than any other enterprise Black Americans have had.”

People Needs Use Order Black Rich Generations Hip Hop Hips Enterprise Hops Can Not

Author:Nikki Giovanni

“If you are sitting there waiting for someone to tell you how wonderful you are, you'll never get anything done. Women need to get over being women. I'm tired of that socialization of women; that we are always supposed to be sitting around pleasing somebody.”

Ifs Needs Done Waiting Wonderful Sitting Tired Supposed To Be Get Over Being A Woman I'm Tired Sitting Around Socialization

Author:Nikki Giovanni

“No one needs to teach you to be mean; we need to be taught to be kind.”

Needs Kind Mean Teach Taught Be Kind

Author:Nikki Giovanni

“We just didn't put any pressure on each other, and I think that everybody needs somebody, and I didn't do it to try to do it; it's what we [with Nina Simone] were to each other.”

Thinking Needs Trying Pressure Nina

Author:Nikki Giovanni

“I am of the generation of segregation. Black Lives Matter is post. I said today, and I will say all the time, "If Nina [Simone] were here, she'd have her Black Lives Matter [T-shirt] on." I think they're great kids. They don't need me or anybody else to tell them what to do.”

Ifs Thinking Needs Said Matter Kids Today Black Generations Posts Shirts T Shirt Segregation Black Lives Matter Nina Black Lives

Author:Nikki Giovanni

“We need to make sure our children travel to see things. Not necessarily long distances but at least out of the neighborhood. On a train. A boat. An airplane.”

Needs Children Long Our Children Distance Train Boat Neighborhood Airplane Long Distance

Author:Nikki Giovanni

“Style has a profound meaning to Black Americans. If we can’t drive, we will invent walks and the world will envy the dexterity of our feet. If we can’t have ham, we will boil chitterlings; if we are given rotten peaches, we will make cobblers; if given scraps, we will make quilts; take away our drums, and we will clap our hands. We prove the human spirit will prevail. We will take what we have to make what we need. We need confidence in our knowledge of who we are.”

Ifs World Needs Humans Hands Spirit Given Black Walks Feet Style Prove Profound Envy Who We Are Human Spirit Rotten Scrap Ham Peaches Quilts Dexterity Cobblers

Author:Nikki Giovanni

About the Author

Born: June 7, 1943
Known for: Writer
Quotes: 227

Related Topics

People Thinking Ifs Poetry Black Poem Want Writing Needs African Americans Blacks Knows Nina Should World Humans Book Life Love Poet

Popular Topics

People Ifs Thinking Knows Men World Way Want Love Life Inspirational Needs Giving Feels Should Writing Trying Years Mind Firsts

Books & Sources

Sacred cows-- and other ediblesRelated source material

AcolytesRelated source material

Racism 101Related source material

Ego-Tripping and Other Poems for Young PeopleRelated source material

My HouseRelated source material

Conversations with Nikki GiovanniRelated source material

Shimmy Shimmy Shimmy Like My Sister Kate: Looking At The Harlem Renaissance Through PoemsRelated source material

The women and the menRelated source material

Those who ride the night windsRelated source material

Black Feeling, Black Talk / Black JudgementRelated source material

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