Dr. Nikki Giovanni, a world-renowned poet, writer, commentator, activist, and educator, was the keynote speaker for the banquet. She shared her thoughts on the civil rights movement, provided her own humorous interpretation of the story of creation, and delivered a pointed critique of today's political leaders. "Great men should be celebrated—great people should be celebrated," said Giovanni. She stressed the need to keep the spirit of the civil rights movement alive today so that it is not lost on this generation. Noting that if Dr. King were alive today he'd probably have braids and a tatoo, Giovanni humored the crowd with a short rap version of the "I Have a Dream" speech to illustrate her belief that even the most well-known words need to be updated to reach this and future generations.
"Through Nikki Giovanni's historical reflections and dynamic poetry, she was able to bridge generational gaps,” said Tolson. “Her poems covered struggle, tragedy, dedication, and victory—all of which were an appropriate memorable moment for Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.”