I adore phillis wheatleys work, and feel that shes far too often dismissed as derivative of pope, etc. List of books and articles about phillis wheatley online research. She was born in the middle of the eighteenth century, possibly in areas in or around senegal. Born around 1753 in gambia, africa, wheatley was captured by slave traders and brought to america in 1761. The wheatleys were a progressive bostonian family who did not consider it immoral to educate a slave even though it was illegal in other parts of the country. Phillis wheatley kids britannica kids homework help.
Wheatley s personal qualities, even more than her literary talent, contributed to her great social success in london. A book of her poems is published, and she finally gains her freedom. Her former mistress susanna wheatley died in the spring of 1774, and john wheatley in 1778. The wheatleys took a great interest in phillis s education and precocity. Original manuscripts, letters, and first editions are in collections at the boston public. Phillis was escorted by the wheatleys son to london in may 1773. Phillis wheatley, also spelled phyllis and wheatly c.
Many americans are unaware that the institution of slavery was practiced in all the original thirteen colonies before the start of the american revolution. For phillis wheatley to be the pioneer of black literature, publish her first and only book when she was around 20 years old and was known as the most famous negro at the time of 1773, she. Phillis wheatley phillis wheatley biography poem hunter. Phillis wheatley was born in the gambia or senegal on the west coast of africa about 1753. Wheatley and her masters son, nathanial wheatley, went to london, where selina, countess of huntingdon and the earl of dartmouth helped with the publication. Check out this biography to know about her childhood, family life and achievements. She arrived in boston in 1761 and was bought by merchants john and susanna wheatley.
After failing to find a publisher in the colonies, selina hastings, the countess of huntingdon, made its publication possible. Featured, poems on various subjects, religious and moral, works in 1773 phillis wheatley published her first and what was to be her only book of poetry. Amid the tumult of the revolutionary war, phillis wheatley became a poet and ultimately had a book of verse published, establishing herself as the first african. After studying english and classical literature, geography, the bible, and latin, phillis published her first. She was born in 1753, in west africa and brought to new england, enslaved, in 1761, where she was sold to john wheatley of boston. A scholar traces lost literature of black women in america the. Born in west africa, wheatley was captured and sold into slavery as a child. She was taken to work as a slave in the united states when she was about seven years old on a slave ship called the phillis. Sevenyearold penda wane is born free on the edge of the great african desert. Scipio was taught drawing by sarah moorhead, the wife of rev. The wheatleys taught phillis to read and write, and her talent for poetry quickly made her famous after she became the first black woman to publish a book in america, poems on various subjects, religious and moral in 1773. In 1761, when she was around 8 years old, wheatley was kidnapped and taken to boston. Dec 04, 2019 phillis wheatley was the first female africanamerican to publish a book of poetry and became a wellknown poet in the 18th century. Phillis wheatley was the first african american poet to publish a book.
Phillis wheatley original birthname unknown was born somewhere in west africa sometime during 1753. Phillis wheatley biography facts, childhood, family life. In 2012, robert morris university named the new building for their school of communications and information sciences after phillis wheatley. Phillis wheatley books list of books by author phillis. Much of this story is fictionalised due to a great lack of record, but cooper does a wonderful job of making the book accessible, moving, and informative, without ever. Phillis wheatley 17531784, american poet, born in africa, sold into slavery at the age of seven in 1761 and transported to america, house slave for boston merchant john wheatley from who she took the surname, considered the first important black writer in the united states, eponym of wheatley, a venusian crater. After being kidnapped from west africa and enslaved in boston, phillis wheatley became the first african american and one of the first women to publish a book of poetry in the colonies in 1773. Ywca marked a century of service to the women of seattles central district by restoring the name of our branch there to phillis wheatley, the revolutionaryera black poet and icon. Phillis wheatley was a slave who became a famous poet. Phillis wheatley, second published africanamerican poet and first published africanamerican woman 17531784 this ebook presents poems, from phillis wheatley. The exact place and date of birth is unknown as there. The book has a brown leather cover, the original morocco spine label, and a frontispiece featuring a portrait of wheatley by scipio morehead. The wheatley family educated her and within sixteen months of her arrival in america she could read the bible, greek and latin classics, and british literature. The collection, poems on various subjects, religious and moral, was the first published book of poetry by an africanamerican.
Phillis wheatley1753 5 december 1784 phillis wheatley was the first published african american poet and first africanamerican woman whose writings helped create the genre of african american literature. They called her phillis after the name of the slave ship she arrived on, and, as was the custom at. A slave ship took her to boston, massachusetts, in 1761. She took work as a slave in the united states when she was about seven years old on a slave ship called the phillis. The wheatley family lived in somerset, at the village of whatley. The wheatleys took a great interest in philliss education and precocity. As the playwright informs us, she was the first black, the first slave and the second woman to publish a book of poetry in america. The young girl who was to become phillis wheatley was kidnapped and taken to boston on a slave ship in 1761 and purchased by a tailor, john wheatley, as a personal servant for his wife, susanna.
The exact place and date of birth is unknown as there are no known surviving records of her initial appearance. Although she was an african slave, phillis wheatley was one of the bestknown poets in. Phillis wheatley, the first black woman poet of note in the united states. She married john peters, a free black man, in 1778. Once phillis wheatley demonstrated her abilities, the wheatleys, clearly a family of culture and education, allowed phillis time to do study and write. Her first name phillis was derived from the ship that brought her to america, the phillis. After the wheatleys died she no longer had anyone to depend on for support, and very shortly married another freed slave, john peters. Born in west africa and taken to the us in 1761, she was bought by a wealthy boston merchant and tailor john wheatley and given his name as was the custom of the time. Born in west africa, she was sold into slavery at the age of seven or eight and transported to north america. Discover librarianselected research resources on phillis wheatley from the questia online library, including fulltext online books, academic journals. Shes was interviewed by 18 respected bostonians to determine if she was capable of actually writing poems such as those in her book. Phillis wheatley club the phillis wheatley club also phyllis wheatley club are womans clubs created by african americans starting in the late 1800s. Phillis wheatley books list of books by author phillis wheatley. Wheatley suffered from asthma aggravated by the new england climate.
Educated and enslaved in the household of prominent boston commercialist john wheatley, lionized in new england and england, with presses in both places publishing her poems, and. Her situation allowed her time to learn and, as early as 1765, to write poetry. Phillis wheatley was only seven or eight years old when she was captured and taken from her home in west africa. Oct 14, 2010 i adore phillis wheatleys work, and feel that shes far too often dismissed as derivative of pope, etc. Lets start with phillis wheatley, who was the first published africanamerican female poet. The extraordinary writings of phillis wheatley, a slave girl turned published poet. Through her poetry, wheatley is credited with helping found african american literature. In 1761, a young girl arrived in boston on a slave ship, sold to the wheatley family, and given the name phillis wheatley. At the age of about eight, wheatley was enslaved in senegal, within a region that is presently the gambia, and then sold and transported to boston, where she was bought by john and susannah wheatley. Apr 17, 2017 once phillis wheatley demonstrated her abilities, the wheatleys, clearly a family of culture and education, allowed phillis time to do study and write. Wheatley is one of the many new names that came to england following the norman conquest of 1066. She had a passion to learn, and the wheatleys encouraged her, breaking with unwritten rule in new england to keep slaves illiterate. Phillis wheatley was the first african american to write a book. Phillis wheatley poems by the famous poet all poetry.
Noted historian afua cooper has brought her expertise to this fictionalized memoir of phillis wheatley, who published a book of poetry in 1773 becoming the first black person in america to do so. Built in the 18th century, the hall and the estate was demolished in the 1930s and the land was sold to build houses. Feb 04, 1976 phillis wheatley was a slave who became a famous poet. She was given their last name of wheatley, as was a common custom if any surname was. Phillis tried to sell subscriptions for a second printing of a book of thirtythree poems and thirteen letters, but she was unable to raise the money and the book was not printed during her lifetime. Phillis wheatley was the first published african american woman poet, an astonishing accomplishment for a slave in a time when the education of slaves was extremely unusual. Phillis wheatley simple english wikipedia, the free. Memoir and poems of phillis wheatley first edition. Her name was a household word among literate colonists and her. Wheatley name meaning, family history, family crest. This picture book tells her story with hopes to encourage young girls to follow in her footsteps. Phillis was taught by the wheatleys children, mary and nathaniel, and by the age of 12 she was reading latin as well as english.
Fun online educational games and worksheets are provided free for each biography. In publishing it, wheatley became the first african american and first u. Phillis wheatley had fewer restrictions than most slaves experienced but she was still a slave. A dynamic table of contents enables to jump directly to the chapter selected. Two books issued posthumously were memoir and poems of phillis wheatley 1834in which margaretta matilda odell, a collateral descendant of susanna. Why its important to keep poet phillis wheatleys legacy. Phillis wheatley was purchased by john wheatley as a child slave servant to help his wife and daughter, susanna and mary. She is granted her freedom in 1773 and her book was also published this same year. Phillis wheatley phillis wheatley, also spelled phyllis and wheatly c. During her early adulthood phillis became more and more popular with her poems. Memoir and poems of phillis wheatley, a native african and a slave. Jan 22, 2020 after being kidnapped from west africa and enslaved in boston, phillis wheatley became the first african american and one of the first women to publish a book of poetry in the colonies in 1773.
Dedicated to the friends of the africans title page poems on various subjects, religious and moral. One of americas early literary giants was an enslaved woman from massachusetts, phillis wheatley. Once in boston, she was purchased by a wealthy merchant, john wheatley, and his family. Memoir and poems of phillis wheatley first edition phillis. To writeto assert an imaginative and expressive voice and self, and to sustain it over the length of a bookas she did, at the time that she did, and to done so despite all the odds, will always be remarkable to me, but the poetry stands on its own, especially when you look. Born in western africa, phillis wheatley was kidnapped by slave traders in 1761 when she was about seven years old. Light 1834 call number c7 w557m rare book, manuscript, and special collections library, duke university libraries. We celebrated 100 years of service in seattles central district by restoring our east cherry branch back to its original name, the phillis wheatley branch. The book was published in london because publishers in boston had refused to publish the text. See all books authored by phillis wheatley, including the collected works of phillis wheatley schomburg library of nineteenth century black women writers, and complete writings penguin classics, and more on. Biography of phillis wheatley, a young slave brought to america in 1761 who became well educated and a noted poetess, for elementry and middle school students.
Bell to begin correspondence with wheatley in preparation for the book. Reference copy in prints and photographs division, biog file wheatley, phillis, 17531784. The phillis wheatley book award winners are announced, annually, during the harlem book fair. Struck by phillis extraordinary precociousness, the wheatleys provided her with an education that was unusual for a woman of the time and astonishing for a slave. A first edition of the book poems on various subjects, religious and moral, by phillis wheatley, while she was enslaved to mr. This amazing story, wide in scope, is based on fact and told convincingly from young wheatley s point of view. Educated and enslaved in the household of prominent boston commercialist john wheatley, lionized in new england and england, with presses in both places publishing her poems, and paraded before the new republics political leadership and the old empires aristocracy, wheatley. She became the first african american and the first slave in the united states to publish a book. Wheatley proved to many people that blacks were equal to whites in creative ability. This amazing story, wide in scope, is based on fact and told convincingly from young. Wheatley learned to read and write english by the age of nine, and. Although she was an african slave, phillis wheatley was one of the bestknown poets in pre19th century america. Phillis wheatley, complete writings paperback february 1, 2001. When phillis travels to london she is a media sensation, feted by the cream of english society.
Throughout her life she had three main influences and supporters. Despite spending much of her life enslaved, phillis wheatley was the first african american and second woman after anne bradstreet to publish a book of poems. A short life after her master died, phillis was emancipated freed. The portrait shows phillis wearing a colonial american dress sitting at her desk and writing with quill pen. Phillis wheatley may 8, 1753 december 5, 1784 was a poet.
However it is not known which country she was born in. Phillis wheatley was the first female africanamerican to publish a book of poetry and became a wellknown poet in the 18th century. Henry louis gates says that phillis wheatley was the oprah winfrey of her time. She was the first africanamerican person to have a book published. The title page from phillis wheatleys poems on various subjects, religious and moral, london.
Phillis wheatley, the first african american published book of poetry. Poet phillis wheatley was brought to boston, massachusetts, on a slave ship in. Boston merchant by the name of john wheatley bought her to be his slave. While a slave, wheatley was taught to read and write and. In 1772, an 18yearold slave named phillis wheatley faced 18 white men who referred to. Her first book, poems on various subjects, religious and moral, where many of her poems first saw print, was published there the same year. Phillis supported independence for the colonies during the revolutionary war. Religious and moralthe first book written by a black woman in america.
Her books were on sale throughout the colonies and even in canada. Wheatleys personal qualities, even more than her literary talent, contributed to her great social success in london. She was born in the middle of the eighteenth century, possibly in. She was given their surname, and for her first name they chose the name of the ship she was brought on. Phillis wheatley is a fascinating historical figure, and this childrens novel is a wonderful place to start for anyone looking to understand more of her life, times, and work. Why i love phillis wheatleys word phillis remastered. Phillis wheatley american poet britannica encyclopedia britannica.
This amazing story, wide in scope, is based on fact and told convincingly from young wheatleys point of view. Sep 01, 2009 when phillis travels to london she is a media sensation, feted by the cream of english society. Select year of award 2017 2016 2015 the 2017 phillis wheatley book awards winning books. Table of contents01 about this book02 on being brought from africa to america03 on the death of mr. Whateley hall was a stately home in the warwickshire countryside near castle bromwich. This is the remarkable story of phillis wheatley, who i. The following are the 39 poems that appear in phillis wheatleys book poems on various subjects, religious and moral. She was purchased by the wheatley family of boston, who taught her to read and write. Upon arrival, she was sold to the wheatley family in boston, massachusetts. Her date of birth and her african name are not known. Phillis wheatley was the first published africanamerican female poet. Two of wheatley s writings were printed after she died. Susanna wheatley, mary wheatley and selina hastings. Vincent carretta wrote a book about wheatley s life called phillis wheatley.
259 645 67 878 467 46 424 944 306 309 353 792 51 1472 955 490 612 985 268 341 1532 1128 313 1202 638 581 222 1135 926 779 1235 386 1446