Black History Month ~ Phillis Wheatley Slave Poet of Colonial America

Editor A-Friend takes a look back at some notable African Americans that helped shape America as it is today. This is Part VI of several that A-Friend will write about during Black History Month at SplashHall Poetry Boards and at the Blogosphere Zoo.



Phillis Wheatley, ( commonly mispelled Phyllis), born mostly likey in Senegal, Africa cirrca 1753 or 1754. Died free in poverty December 5, 1784 just ahead of her third child.

She was kidnapped and enslaved being bought in 1761 by John Wheatley to be a personal servant to his wife, Susanna. As was the custom she was given her master's surname. Being enslaved by the Wheatley's made her life more fortunate than other slaves. She was taught to read and write and allowed to expand her studies once her keen abilities were evident.

In 1773 a collection of her poems were published and this caused great concern amoung the white establishment. They doubted that any slave could write poetry and if it was proven she actually did write them, then it would demostrate she could THINK, an accomplishment they found absolutely scandalous to contemplate. ( Think, for a moment, about the ramifications of that revelation. Now they have to face the fact that chattel can think.)

Susanna Wheatley, her master, set out to debunk this nonsense and Phillis was brought before a panel of 13 learned and respected men of position in Boston to be questioned and examined to determine if she indeed wrote the collection.

This preface was placed in her book:

"WE whose Names are underwritten, do assure the World, that the POEMS specified in the following Page, were (as we verily believe) written by Phillis, a young Negro Girl, who was but a few Years since, brought an uncultivated Barbarian from Africa, and has ever since been, and now is, under the Disadvantage of serving as a Slave in a Family in this Town. She has been examined by some of the best Judges, and is thought qualified to write them."

Witnessing the revolutionary war and the events that led up to them, Phillis Wheatley wrote this:

" From native Clime, when seeming cruel Fate
Me snatch'd from Afric's fancy'd happy Seat
. . . Ah! what bitter pangs molest
What Sorrows labour'd in the Parent Breast?
That, more than Stone, ne'er soft Compassion mov'd
Who from its Father seiz'd his much belov'd.

And hold in bondage Afric's blameless race?
Let virtue reign - And thou accord our prayers
Be victory our's, and generous freedom theirs."
--"On the Death of Gen. Wooster" (July 1778)

Though she had more freedom and priviledge than most slaves, this passage demonstrated she regonized she was still only a slave.