Nikki Giovanni is a "living legend" and one of the most famous US poets. She rose to fame in the late 1960s as part of the Black Arts Movement, using inspiration from her African heritage to present the Black experience in America. Her work explores race, gender, sexuality, and the African American family and she has dedicated herself to uplifting other Black writers, especially Black women writers. She has taught at many universities, including Rutgers, The Ohio State University, Queens College (City University of New York), and Virginia Tech.