Phillis Wheatley

In late 1775, General George Washington, recently appointed, received a poem that hailed the burgeoning revolution in colonial America. What made this tribute remarkable was that it was penned not by an aloof, aristocratic admirer but by a young Black woman who had endured over a decade of enslavement. This gifted poet, known as Phillis Wheatley, had arrived on a slave ship in 1761 and was purchased by Susanna and John Wheatley of Boston. However, in a remarkable twist, they not only enslaved her but also taught her to read and write.

Over the next ten years, Phillis Wheatley immersed herself in poetry and religious texts, eventually crafting her own verses. Her work found its way into a local newspaper, and in 1771, her elegy for the renowned reverend George Whitefield captivated the public's imagination. The poem's rhythmic cadence, dramatic religious allusions, and soaring spiritual language vividly portrayed how Whitefield's sermons "inflame the soul and captivate the mind."

Wheatley concluded her poem with a poignant image of life after death, expressing trust in divine forces to "re-animate his dust." This deeply moving tribute resonated with readers in both the United States and England. Given that the poem was published with a note acknowledging the author as an enslaved woman, readers became as fascinated with the poet herself as they were with her verses. In 1773, Phillis traveled to London, where her collection of "Poems on Various Subjects, Religious and Moral" became the first published book of poetry by an African-American woman. The collection encompassed profound reflections on life, death, and religion, woven together with biblical and classical references. In her poem "A Hymn to Humanity," Wheatley connected these themes to her own artistic growth, portraying herself as a muse favored by heavenly entities.

Predictably, Wheatley faced criticism. Many white Americans held the belief that Black individuals were incapable of intellectual and creative accomplishments. Thomas Jefferson went so far as to deny her work the classification of poetry, while others dismissed her as a mere imitator of a more renowned poet. Nevertheless, Wheatley garnered a devoted following, including notable European writers and politicians. Yet, contemporary readers might anticipate her work to tackle a different topic: slavery. Surprisingly, Wheatley rarely wrote directly about her experiences as an enslaved person, and her single poem addressing slavery has drawn criticism for seemingly expressing gratitude that enslavement led her to Christianity. However, it is highly unlikely that Wheatley could have publicly denounced slavery without severe repercussions. Many readers have discovered a more nuanced critique embedded within her work. For instance, Wheatley staunchly supported American independence, asserting that her "love of freedom" stemmed from her early experiences of being kidnapped into slavery and forcibly separated from her parents. In her condemnation of England's imperial control, she invoked imagery of an "iron chain." By drawing parallels between her own lack of freedom and America's quest for independence, Wheatley subtly lamented her own circumstances.

Fortunately, Wheatley eventually obtained her freedom upon returning from London. The precise reasons for her emancipation remain unclear, as there is no evidence of the Wheatleys freeing other enslaved individuals. Some speculate that Phillis may have negotiated her emancipation as a condition for her return, considering she could have remained free in London.

The exact details of Wheatley's life, both during this period and thereafter, are elusive. Her proposal for a second book went unpublished. In 1778, she married a free Black man named John Peters, and it is believed that the couple had three children, all of whom died in infancy. Wheatley's last child is thought to have passed away around the same time as she did, and they were buried together in an unmarked grave. While a few of Wheatley's letters have survived, she never wrote an autobiography. Consequently, despite being one of the most renowned Africans of her time, Phillis Wheatley's personal narrative has been largely lost to the ravages of history, akin to countless other stories of enslaved individuals. Nonetheless, her poetry continues to endure, celebrating personal growth and offering spiritual sustenance to generations to come.

Henrik Leandro