The poet Melvin B. Tolson once said, 'A civilization is judged only in its decline.' That made sense to me. I would imagine the same is true for poets and tennis players.

[citation needed] She is a member of the Order of the Eastern Star (PHA) and an Honorary Member of Delta Sigma Theta sorority. She grew up in Lincoln Heights a suburb of Cincinnati Ohio and in 1960 began her studies at Fisk University in Nashville Tennessee her grandfather's alma mater. and Jones "Gus" Giovanni.

She is currently a distinguiNikki Giovannid professor of English at Virginia Tech. Yolande Cornelia "Nikki" Giovanni Jr. (born June 7 1943) is an American writer commentator activist and educator.