Phyllis Wheatley (1753-1784)

Phyllis Wheatley was an African-American poet -- the first African-American poet. She was a slave in the home of the Wheatley family in Boston. The Wheatleys recognized her gifts, educated, and encouraged her. The illustration above shows the book of poems she published in her own name -- with her author's picture proudly displayed. Here is an excerpt from the Biography of Phyllis Wheatley at Women in History:

During her life, while it was not common for American women to be published, it was especially uncommon for children of slaves to be educated at all. Her gift of writing poetry was encouraged by her owners and their daughter, Mary; they taught Phillis to read and write, with her first poem being published at the age of twelve, "On Messrs. Hussey and Coffin." The countess of Huntingdon, Selina Hastings, was a friend of the Wheatley's who greatly encouraged and financed the publication of her book of poetry, Poems.  Obour Tanner, a former slave who made the journey through the middle passage with Phillis also was one of the chief influences and supporters of Phillis' craft.

She was especially fond of writing in the elegiac poetry style, perhaps mirroring the genre of oration taught to her through the women in her African American tribal group.  Her elegy on a popular evangelical Methodist minister, George Whitefield, brought her instant success upon his death.  She also was well versed in Latin which allowed her to write in the epyllion (short epic) style with the publication of "Niobe in Distress."

Phillis' popularity as a poet both in the United States and England ultimately brought her freedom from slavery on October 18, 1773. She even appeared before General Washington in March, 1776 for her poetry and  was a strong supporter of independence during the Revolutionary War.  She felt slavery to be the issue which separated whites from true heroism: whites can not "hope to find/Deivine acceptance with th' Almighty mind" when "they disgrace/And hold in bondage Afric's blameless race."

Phyllis is remembered for many first time accomplishments from a woman of her day:

• First African American to publish a book
• An accomplished African American woman of letters
• First African American woman to earn a living from her writing
• First woman writer encouraged and financed by a group of women (Mrs. Wheatley, Mary Wheatly, and Selina Hastings.)

I was inspired to put this post together by this poem of Wheatley's which Ann included in the comments section of the Roger Williams post:

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 color is a diabolic die."
Remember, Christians, Negroes, black as Cain,
May be refined, and join th' angelic train.

Be sure to read Roger Williams's poem in conjunction with this. It's very instructive.

Comments

[Jenny]

Posts like this are why I visit. She died in childbirth, I don't know why that makes me sad. Perhaps because she was so young (but actually "old" for then?)

[gail]

No, she died young. It was very sad, but common enough at the time. People who didn't either die before the age of three or during childbirth had a pretty good chance of living to old age.

[Jenny]

True - I think it made me sad to think she had conquered so much only to have her life end so young. Just thinking about what else she could have accomplished....

[KenziLin97]

ummm im doing a report on her for social studies and uh well she didnt die THAT young she died when she was like 50 or 60 around there! duhhhhh

[gail]

If she was born around 1753 and died in 1784, that would make her about thirty, not fifty.