Born in what is now Senegal in the early 1750s and sold into slavery in 1761, the young African girl was bought by a Boston family named Wheatley and named Phyllis after the slave ship that brought her to America. She is best known as the first African-American to have his or her literature published. Wheatley literary achievement was possible thanks to her owner and his family, since she was educated along with the Wheatley children. She was tutored in Latin, history, geography, and the Bible. She expressed an early interest and talent in writing verse. Most of her poetry deals with Christian ideals and is often dedicated to famous heroes and leaders. George Washington read and praised her work, though many white people refused to believe that a black woman could write poetry. After being examined by several Boston dignitaries (including John Hancock) it was determined that she had indeed authored the poetry. Her first collection, entitled, Poems on Various Subjects, Religious and Moral was published in London in 1773. In 1776 she read her poetry before George Washington, declaring her strong support for revolutionary ideas. She was a staunch supporter of the American Revolution. Despite being convinced of her abilities, Boston leaders refused to print her work, so her manuscript was sent to England for publishing, where she had noble admirers. She both traveled to London and helped to host English visitors in the Wheatley’s Boston home.

Phyllis remained with Mr. and Mrs. Wheatley until their deaths. She was particularly close to Mrs. Wheatley, and following her death Phyllis’ life was never the same. Mr. Wheatley tended to treat her more as a servant than a companion. Upon his death Phyllis married a free black man named John Peters. Peters was physically and emotionally abusive to Phyllis and their three children, two of whom soon died Later she was abandoned by her husband and went to work as a house servant. She never adjusted to life of lower status, and died in poverty at age thirty-one. Phyllis, along with her surviving child (who died hours after Phyllis’ death) are buried in an unmarked grave.

Image: Phillis Wheatley, as illustrated by Scipio Moorhead in the Frontispiece to her book, Poems on Various Subjects.