A Theme Of Racism In Nikki Giovanni’s Poetry
Poetry is a way of expressing many emotions in a short amount of words. The poems are mostly about strong emotions in society and everyone lives. Past generations have grown up with a cruel society. Events have occurred that too innocent of eyes have experienced. The lives of racism may not as often occurs, but it is in spirit. Racism lives on as elders tell their experiences through their culture and the equality they believe was absent. Nikki Giovanni’s, poems “Ego-Tripping’, “Nikki-Rosa’, and “Black History Month’; her poems show the racism and inequality among mankind for their culture.
As a young girl, experiencing racism gave Nikki Giovanni a different perspective on life. Not only was it a vexatious task as a young black girl, but she was poor as well. Although she was poor, to one of her most famous poems, “I really hope no white person ever has cause to write about me because they will never understand black love is black wealth and they’ll most likely observe about my childhood and never understand that all whereas I was quite happy”. This quote represented that even though people may have viewed their culture as not having the power to be treated equally, they will always prove that love is greater than wealth entire. In an article, Margaret McDowell had explained that “Giovanni saw that not only her work, but it affected her personal life”. Giovanni might have struggled with the inequality in her life, but poetry showed her that there is more to life than how others view life. Nikki Giovanni always had the strong urge to fight racism and sexualism, but through powerful, shortened words. Nikki Giovanni expressed African-American history through a view no one could have viewed before. In addition, an article that had brought the attention to the history of African-Americans, “her poems help explore issues and also concerns specifically to young children”. Including one of her poems, “Black History Month,” this poem will strengthen adolescents minds on how strong past generations felt about their culture and equality. It is very important to inform early generations about previous events so that no one will have to live through the terrible lives elder adults have. In the article written, one explains that “A longstanding mage of culture and joy in the black community, she will continue to explore the idea that even though people of color had many challenges to face in the past”.
The poem Nikki Giovanni has written will help younger minds to think bigger and better doing. Even though she has gone through a hard life, she is always joyful knowing who she truly is deep down as should all African-Americans. Nikki Giovanni knows more about her culture and history through the past experiences she went through and also her grandparent’s stories that were told to her. As Nikki’s grandparents lived, they had to do whatever anyone else said or they will receive consequences. As they grew up, they must obey the white persons’ words. In addition, she decided to tell one about her grandparent’s story. “She tells us the story of how her maternal grandparents were forced to leave Georgia because they had refused to submit to white donation”. Nikki explains through many of her poems that her culture has been disrespected more than she had ever wanted to experience. Coming from that story, Nikki decided to further look into her heritage as an African-American. The people who had promoted her poem “Ego-Tripping”, have implied that the ego-tripper stereotype has complained that her poems are irrelevant. She explains that she is “so swift that you cannot catch me”. Through those small five words, she is proving that she is capable of doing anything she sets her mind to. Equality, racism, and culture prove how society views the world. Through Giovanni’s words, she can help change that.
As Nikki Giovanni has stated multiple times, it was hard growing up in her shoes. She had mentioned stories that affected her family’s name in words so deep, it made people think about their actions and how they view the world. Everyone of mankind deserves the same equality no matter what race, culture or religion you are. The world is meant for everyone to live their own lives. Nikki Giovanni is very strong on equality, not just by race but sexualism as well. Women have been doubted with the things they could do and Nikki proved them wrong. Her poems represent the way she believes everyone should be treated; peacefully and with kindness. Through the poems, “Ego-Tripping”, “Black History Month”, and “Nikki-Rosa”, she has brought out her full emotions on racism, culture, and equality; with the powerful words, people are afraid to say.
