Phillis Wheatley: Poet, Pioneer, Progressive
/Life:
Image: University of Michigan
In 1760, a young girl was seized from Senegal/Gambia, West Africa. She was only seven years old. After being transported to the city of Boston on a large shipping boat of ‘refugee’ slaves, she was sold to the family of a prominent tailor, the Wheatley’s. She was named after the ship that brought her to America, and given the surname of her new owners. It was then that she first became Phillis Wheatley. While she still had to complete her share of household work, the family recognized academic curiosity within her and began to educate her. Within sixteen months of landing in America, she could read the Bible, British literature, and even Greek and Latin classics. Phillis studied astronomy, geography, and anything else that was offered to her. Her hunger for knowledge only grew from then onward, as she continued her education and began to recognize her love for the written word. Phillis began to write poetry, which the Wheatley’s quickly realized she was not only passionate about, but had a raw talent for. Her first poem was published in 1767, and by 1770 she had gained significant notoriety with the publication of “An Elegiac Poem, on the Death of the Celebrated Divine George Whitefield”. She became a household name and example for the abolitionist movement that promoted the idea of African Americans having the same intellectual and artistic ability as caucasians. This movement would eventually snowball into the antislavery movement. The Wheatley’s freed Phillis in 1773, after the publication of her first novel of poems. She continued to publish poetry throughout her life, creating a respected reputation as the first recognized Black female poet. In 1778, She married John Peters. He was a free African-American from Boston, and together they had three children, though none survived to adulthood. Since her career as a writer was not enough to support her family, she became a maid for a boardinghouse to provide extra income. In 1784, Phillis Wheatley fell ill, and sadly passed on December 5th, at the age of 31.
Political Impact:
image: the new york times
Phillis supported the American Revolution and wanted freedom for her nation. But more deeply, she believed in the freedom of all individuals. To her, the most prominent factor that was keeping America from true advancement was slavery. She strongly believed that to be a true progressive society, they must overcome classist notions. Phillis wrote to ministers and other political figures on several occasions, promoting liberty for all. During the height of her writing career she wrote a poem applauding the appointment of George Washington to commander of the Continental Army. It was enthusiastically embraced and is, to this day, one of the most notable moments of her literary career.
Literary Accomplishment and Legacy:
As the first Black female poet to be published in America, and only the third female poet to be published, Phillis paved the way for the following generations of Black female writers. She proved that intellect and literary prowess has never been dependent on gender, race, or heritage. Instead they can be attributed to the individual and their thirst for knowledge. When she published her first novel of poems in 1773: Poems on Various Subjects, Religious and Moral - the first American novel to ever be published by an enslaved black woman - she set a precedent for Black female writers who came after her. She created a standard of literary competency, and disproved those who viewed persons of colour as less intellectually able. This novel even included a foreword signed by John Hancock and other notable Boston academics. It also provided a portrait of Wheatley, to ensure readers that this work was truly and undoubtedly written by a woman of colour. Many institutions have honoured Wheatley and her legacy, including the reputable Phyllis Wheatley YWCA in Washington DC. Phillis defied the mountainous odds stacked against her and created an irreparable impact on modern literature that is still studied by academics to this day.
Image: BritannicA
Clara Ivis is a student of Professional Writing from Ottawa, Ontario. When she is not inhaling books, she can be found drinking espresso martinis with friends or hiking in the Gatineau hills. A fan of the classics and high fantasy, Clara values great world-building and emotionally relatable characters. Among her favourite authors are many of the great female writers, such a Sylvia Plath and Jane Austen. Clara is currently writing her debut novel, which she often equates to climbing Everest. If you ever find yourself wanting to be in her good graces, she accepts Strava kudos and Audible credits.
