Nikki Giovanni – University Distinguished Professor, Virginia Tech

Since establishing herself in the mid-’70s as a leading poetic voice and a major force in the Black arts movement, Giovanni has received 20 honorary doctorates and various other awards, including the Rosa Parks Woman of Courage Award and the Langston Hughes Award for Distinguished Contributions to Arts and Letters. She teaches writing and literature at Virginia Tech. She is a multiple winner of the NAACP Image Award.