By: Samantha Hammond

∞Born 1943, in Knoxville, Tennessee ∞Grew up in Lincoln Heights, Ohio ∞Spent a major part of her happy childhood with her grandparents ∞Bachelors Degree in History at Fisk University, 1967 BASIC FACTS

∞While attending Fisk, Giovanni was greatly influenced by a novelist who taught a Creative Writing workshop, John Oliver Killens. ∞Racial views of her classmates INFLUENCES

∞Most of her early poetry included her anger towards how black Americans were treated ∞She supported open violence, due to how impatient she was for change In 1969 Giovanni: ∞Took a teaching job at Rutgers University ∞Gave birth to her son Thomas ∞Never married ∞1970s her work became less angry and more domestic MORE…

∞Black Judgment & Black feeling, Black talk ∞1971 she experimented with sound recording and released the album Truth is on its way ∞ Cotton Candy on a Rainy Day ∞ Those Who Ride the Night Winds PUBLISHED BOOKS/ALBUMS

KNOXVILLE, TENNESSEE “I always like summer Best you can eat fresh corn From daddy's garden And okra And greens And cabbage And lots of Barbeque And buttermilk And homemade ice-cream At the church picnic And listen to Gospel music Outside At the church Homecoming And go to the mountains with Your grandmother And go barefooted And be warm All the time Not only when you go to bed And sleep”

One theme for “Knoxville, Tennessee” is simple life before the race riots, this can be determined by how she incorporated several simple life activities/items: ∞ Food ∞ Activities ∞ Family members In other poetry by Giovanni, its typically about her anger towards the racial views on Black Americans. THEME

∞ Symbols In almost every line she uses symbols, such as:  “and you can eat fresh corn” (line 3)  “And homemade ice-cream” (line 11)  “Barbeque” (line 9)  “And go barefooted” (line 20) POETIC DEVICES 1

∞ Imagery Giovanni uses imagery to set the scene to the reader, she uses this multiple times:  ‘I always like summer’ (line 1)  ‘At the church’ (line 16)  ‘And you can eat fresh corn And okra And greens And cabbage” (line  “At the church picnic” (line POETIC DEVICE 2

∞ Tone, Mood Giovanni uses tone and mood multiple times within her writing  “Gospel music” (line 14)  “Homecoming” (line 17)  “And be warm” (line 21) POETIC DEVICE 3

"Knoxville, Tennessee." Poetry for Students. Ed. David A. Galens. Vol. 17. Detroit: Gale, Gale Virtual Reference Library. Web. 2 June BIBLIOGRAPHY