Standing in the Need of Prayer
2020
First Published
4.75
Average Rating
48
Number of Pages
Borrowing the title of a traditional African American hymn, Standing in the Need of Prayer poetically describes the vulnerability of black men and the ongoing injustice they encounter in America. Noted poet, Nikki Giovanni speaks to participants of the Million Man March, Tupac's mother, and expresses her own trepidation felt in response to late-night callers who may or may not be the bearers of tragic news. Her writings are bookended with poems by DXTR Spits (Jordan Holmes) as well as Pulitzer Prize-winning poet, Jericho Brown. Illustrator, Emily Thornton Calvo punctuates each poem with art that depicts the anger and frustration as well as the constant concern felt by those who love them. Standing in the Need of Prayer is critical to those who care about understanding the position of others who live under the weight of systemic racism—and a call for prayers to protect them.
Avg Rating
4.75
Number of Ratings
12
5 STARS
75%
4 STARS
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3 STARS
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Author
Nikki Giovanni
Author · 42 books
Yolande Cornelia "Nikki" Giovanni is a Grammy-nominated American poet, activist and author. She has written numerous volumes of poetry and has been honored with loads of awards, including 20 honorary degrees from national colleges and universities. Her poems are undeniably authentic distillations of black life in America. She was editor of Fisk University's literary magazine. She lives in Blacksburg, Virginia, where she is a University Distinguished Professor at Virginia Tech.
