Nikki Giovanni - By: Jessica Vining By cnruncw Jun 7, 1943 I (Nikki Giovanni) was born! Knoxville General Hospital, Knoxville, Tennessee Feb 12, 1948 First school I was accepted into Kindergarten :) Feb 13, 1958 Snuck away from parents to live in Knoxville with grandma. Feb 13, 1960 With encouragement- I enroll to Fisk University. College! Lot's of conservatism, though. :( Feb 1, 1961 Got expelled from Fisk University... I bent rules because I didn't like the racial ideas of the Dean of Women Feb 13, 1962 I begin to take courses at the University of Cinncinati and volunteer to help kids- on top of a job at Walgreens. Feb 12, 1968 My first volume of poetry was published. 'Black Feeling Black Talk' Feb 13, 2008 Published last book. Bicycles: Love Poems