ORIGINAL · DOCUMENTARY
Black Joy Blazers: Nikki Giovanni
The ask
NewsOne wanted its Black Joy Blazers series to sit down with Nikki Giovanni, the poet who wrote Black joy into American literature for more than 50 years, and to capture her in conversation and performance with saxophonist Javon Jackson.
What we made
We filmed in a single day on November 9, 2024, at the Louis Armstrong House Museum in Queens, one week after the election. Natural light and a small crew kept the room hers.
Giovanni died a month later. We reshaped the episode as a Black History Month tribute, released February 24, 2025, on NewsOne, YouTube and Instagram with vertical and horizontal cutdowns.
“Today we brought some comfort because we brought some truth.” Nikki Giovanni
Results
One of Nikki Giovanni's final recorded interviews.
Two Webby Awards at the 30th Webbys (2026), in Video and Film for Documentary and for Variety and Reality.
Four 2025 Telly Awards: Gold for History, People's Telly Gold for Online Series, Shows and Segments, Silver for Biography and Silver for Individual Documentary.
Credits
Client NewsOne, iOne Digital
Executive producers Jarred McGriff, Cliché Wynter-Mayo
Cinematography and edit Jarred McGriff
Producer Phakiso Collins
Director of production, video Naima Simmons
VP, video Tanya Hoffler-Moore
VP, editorial Kirsten West Savali
SVP, content Allison McGevna
Production manager Rashon Albany
Production coordinator Nora Dockery
Camera Christopher Santos
Gaffer Luis Lopez
Audio Anthony Charles
Photography Alexander Mayo
PA Joshua McGriff
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