Phillis Wheatley was the first Black American author of a published book of poetry. Born 1753 in West Africa, likely Gambia or Senegal, she was kidnaped, sold into slavery at the age of seven, and transported with over 95 other captives to North America. The ship was called the Phillis. Arriving in Massachusetts on July 11, 1761 the young girl was enslaved by the Wheatley family of Boston. She was named after the ship. When she learned to read and write, her owners encouraged Phillis to develop her talents in poetry. On a trip to London with her owners’ son, seeking publication of her work, Phillis met many prominent people who became her patrons. The publication in London of her book Poems on Various Subjects, Religious and Moral on September 1, 1773, brought her fame both in England and the American colonies. Figures such as George Washington praised her work. Wheatley's story is shared at the Boston African-American National Historic Site, managed by the National Park Service.
https://www.nps.gov/boaf/index.htm
The Joy Trip Project celebrates Black History Month The Unhidden Minute is part of the Unhidden Podcast Project supported through a National Geographic Explorer Grant from the National Geographic Society, with the cooperation of the National Park Service. This series celebrates the untold stories of Black American history.
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Phillis Wheatley