Phillis Wheatley (1753-1784) came to America when she was a sickly eight years old. After landing in Boston, John Wheatley bought her as a domestic slave for his wife Susana. John and Susana, then later their children, were all instrumental in the success of Phillis. The Wheatley’s educated her, even though educating a slave was illegal in certain parts of the country. They supported her poetry and when they could not get a book published in America, they sought connections abroad. Phillis traveled to London where she successfully published her book of poems, Poems on Various Subjects, Religions and Moral. While attempting to publish her book in England, John Wheatley and seventeen others testified that she indeed was the author of the poems. Phillis was the first African American and the second woman to publish a book, all at a very young age.

She is viewed as the foundation of African American literature and abolitionists used her to show people that African Americans were intelligent and needed better educations. It is unknown how many poems Phillis wrote in her short life. She published many poems, but she tried unsuccessfully to publish a second volume to her book and many of those poems are now lost. It is estimated that she wrote around 145 poems. Many of them were elegies on famous people. Her work was so widely known and appreciated that George Washington sent her a correspondence. Other themes of her poetry included religion and the greatness of America.

Throughout her life she remained a slave in the Wheatley household, until she was freed near the death of her owners. Many people believed the Wheatley’s should have freed her sooner. Even though she was a slave, she did not suffer like many of the other slaves. She was well taken care of, educated, and supported. Once she was freed, she struggled with poverty. She married a man who did not tend to her needs and she died alone. Although she struggled towards the end, people will always remember the importance of her early achievements.

By: Jessica McKenzie 

Credits and Sources:

National Women’s History Museum. “Phillis Wheatley (c. 1753-1784).” National Women’s History Museum. Accessed September 12, 2016. https://www.nwhm.org/education-resources/biography/biographies/phillis-wheatley/

O’Connor, Thomas H. Boston: A to Z. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press, 2000.

O’Neale, Sondra. “Phillis Wheatley, 1753-1784.” Poetry Foundation. Accessed September 12, 2016. https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems-and-poets/poets/detail/phillis-wheatley

Phillis Wheatley Historical Society. “Short Biography: Who was Phillis Wheatley.” Phillis_Wheatley Historical Society. Accessed September 12, 2016. http://www.phillis-wheatley.org/short-biography/

Poets.org. “Phillis Wheatley, 1753-1784).” Academy of American Poets. Accessed September 12, 2016. https://www.poets.org/poetsorg/poet/phillis-wheatley