Nikki Giovanni, one of our nation’s best known poets, will be the keynote speaker at the 2016 Martin Luther King Jr. Day program, which will be held at East Aurora High school. The 72-year-old writer, activist, and Virginia Tech University professor will headline a program that begins at 6 p.m. Jan. 18. The event is free and open to the public.

The annual event is organized by the City of Aurora and the Aurora MLK Committee. The event pays tribute to the life and legacy of Martin Luther King Jr. The location rotates between different Aurora high schools each year.

Student groups from several Aurora high schools will honor King’s legacy with performances that reflect the theme “Still Rooted in the Dream in 2016.”

Giovanni is the author of numerous children books and poetry collections, including: “Chasing Utopia: A Hybrid”; “Bicycles: Love Poems”; “Acolytes”; “The Collected Poetry of Nikki Giovanni: 1968-1998”; and “Quilting the Black-Eyed Pea.”

Giovanni has been awarded Martin Luther King Jr. Award for dedication and commitment to service, three NAACP Image Awards for literature, and the Langston Hughes Award for distinguished contributions to arts and letters. She has been nominated for a Grammy and been a finalist for the National Book Award. Three of her books were New York Times and Los Angeles Times best sellers. Click here to learn more about Nikki Giovanni.

Nikki Giovanni Quick Bio

Poet Nikki Giovanni was born in Knoxville, TN, on June 7, 1943. Although she grew up in Cincinnati, Ohio, she and her sister returned to Knoxville each summer to visit their grandparents. Nikki graduated with honors in history from her grandfather’s alma mater, Fisk University. Since 1987, she has been on the faculty at Virginia Tech, where she is a University Distinguished Professor.