2008 Woodie Awards
Nikki Giovanni answers the question 'What would Martin do?'
SHANNON MORGAN
Assistant Opinion Editor
Issue date: 1/28/08 Section: News
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"One of the reasons that people never do anything with their lives is they're afraid of being wrong and therefore they end up being nothing. You have to take a chance. The worst thing in the world is not failure; the worst thing in the world is not doing anything," Giovanni said.
The facial expressions of spectators reflected the raw emotion conveyed by Giovanni, who took them through America's past, its present and her view of its future.
Giovanni's life is marked by interactions with some of America's most treasured sons and daughters, from Martin Luther King Jr. to Rosa Parks and more.
She was adamant about the fact that these were ordinary people who did extraordinary things; we shouldn't focus on what we think they would do if they were alive today, but what they stood for while they were alive.
Her poetry is renowned for promoting racial equality, and the urgency of calling black people to realize their identities and their rights. Giovanni was also a well-known civil rights activist the 1960s.
ìI'm a sixties person so I always want with my back against the wall," Giovanni said. "Well you know … we're paranoid, I mean, look how many people got shot. If they're gonna shoot ya at least they're gonna look at you … you don't want to make it easy."
Some audience members described Giovanni's demeanor as feisty and matter-of-fact. "Someone asked me if he [Dr. King] would vote for Obama and I said, 'How the hell would I know?'" Giovanni said.
She recalled meeting one of her most treasured friends, Rosa Parks, in an airport in Philadelphia. When she introduced herself, Parks said, "Oh baby, black love is black wealth," which is the name of one of Giovanni's poems.
"I think what's important is what we do with our moment. Martin had a moment, Rosa Parks had a moment … and you and I have moments. What we have to do with our moments is the question," Giovanni said. "When that light fall on us, are we going to stand up? Are we going to do our best?"
One audience member asked Giovanni what Dr. King would think about the current state of affairs in America.
"There was this bracelet and it said 'WWJD' - what would Jesus do - and you're asking me 'WWMD' - what would Martin do - and I don't think like that because I think of what he did do," Giovanni said. "It's not a question of what he would do today or what he would think. It's what he did."
Click to watch an exclusive interview with Nikki Giovanni prior to her MLK Keynote address!
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