Phillis Wheatley was born in western Africa. She was shipped to America as a slave around age 7. Transported to Boston, she was bought by the Wheatley family. As was common, she took their last name. Phillis was the name of the slave ship! Talk about an everyday reminder of a terrible voyage. Wheatley was a wealthy merchant and tailor. Phillis was meant to be a slave for Mrs. Wheatley. It became clear early on that she was very intelligent. Wheatley’s son and daughter tutored her and she was exempt from household duties in order to pursue her education. By age 12, she was reading Latin and Greek classics. She wrote her first poem at age 14. It didn’t take long to realize she had talent. Some questioned whether a slave could actually write poetry, so she was asked to prove it in court before a group that included John Hancock and Gov. Thomas Hutchinson. They were convinced that she was for real. In 1773, she accompanied the Wheatley son to London to see about publishing her poems. She met celebrities and gained sponsors. The book was published as “Poems on Various Subjects, Religious and Moral”. It was the first book of poetry by an African-American and the second by a woman (first was Anne Bradstreet). She returned to Boston and continued to write. She was freed after the publishing of her book. In 1775, she wrote “To His Excellency, George Washington”. Washington invited her to visit, which she did in 1776. Most of her poems were elegies and many had classical themes. She rarely wrote about slavery because she had a decidedly ideal experience with the institution. Sadly, the last years of her life were tragic. She married, but they lived in poverty. She lost two babies. She died at age 31. She became an example that abolitionists used to show that blacks could show their talents and intelligence if educated. Here is her most famous poem, entitled “On Being Brought from Africa to America”.
Twas mercy brought me from my Pagan land,
Taught my benighted soul to understand
That there’s a God, that there’s a Saviour too:
Once I redemption neither sought nor knew.
Some view our sable race with scornful eye,
“Their colour is a diabolic dye.”
Remember, Christians, Negroes, black as Cain,
May be refin’d, and join th’ angelic train.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phillis_Wheatley
https://www.womenshistory.org/education-resources/biographies/phillis-wheatley
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