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10 Interesting Facts About Phillis Wheatley

From a slave to learning how to read and write. Better still, having a masterly skill level in Greek, Latin, and English languages at the age of 12 years. Step into the extraordinary talent of celebrated poet Phillis Wheatley.

What’s more, she is a literature icon on record as the first African American to publish a book of poems. Through her poetry, she addressed societal social issues such as slavery, religion, and racism.

Furthermore, her creativity earned her a chance to rub shoulders with US first president George Washington. She also caught the attention of King George III of Great Britain among other world dignitaries at the time. Lest we forget, she was a slave from childhood and has a firsthand tale of the same. Learn more about the poetry great Phillis Wheatley below.

Here are the 10 Interesting Facts About Phillis Wheatley.

1. Phillis Wheatley came from West Africa

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Her exact origin and date of birth are uncertain due to a lack of documents to prove the same. But scholars have the conviction that she was born around 1753 in West Africa either in modern-day Gambia or Senegal.

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2. Wheatley was captured as a slave in her childhood

A local chief sold her to a slave trader who had visited her hometown. She was between seven to eight years of age when she was taken away from her home.

Moreover, in July 1761 she was part of those aboard the slave ship known as The Phillis headed for North America. Her destination was Boston which was then in the British Colony of Massachusetts.

Upon arrival in Boston Phillis was bought by a rich merchant cum tailor from the region known as John Wheatley. He bought her to serve as a slave for his wife Susanna.

3. Thanks to her slave master she got an identity

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Phillis Wheatley earned her name from her master. The name Phillis was given to her by the Wheatley family. Thus naming her after the slave ship she had traveled in from Africa to North America.

Additionally, it was customary that enslaved people took on the name of their master in case they were to have a surname. Thus she was given the Wheatley family name to identify with her master.

4. Wheatley was taught to read and write by her slave keeper

While living with the Wheatleys’ Phillis was taught to read and write by Mary who was the first-born daughter of the family. Nathaniel who was a son in the family also tutored her.

Furthermore, John Wheatley was a liberal and through his family’s help, Phillis received unparalleled education. This was rare for enslaved people or better yet not a common occurrence to educate women of any race during this era.

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5. Phillis Wheatley could read Greek and Latin at 12 years

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She was quick to learn and by the time she was 12 years old, she had a good handle on Greek and Latin languages. Thus she could read literature written in the original languages of Greek and Latin including complex scriptures of the Bible.

To boot, she found inspiration in the masterworks of poetry legends like Alexander Pope and John Milton. Wheatley also drew motivation from renowned poets Homer, Horace, and Virgil. This exposure sparked her passion for poetry and she started her journey in writing of the same.

6. She had her first poem published in 1767

Wheatley was about 14 years old when her first poem was published in Rhode Island’s Newport Mercury newspaper. The poem was titled On Messrs. Hussey and Coffin and it appeared on the newspaper’s December 21, 1767 issue.

7. Phillis Wheatley set a world record in 1773

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She was only 20 or thereabout in 1773 yet she managed to publish her first poetry book by November of the same year. This earned her the prestigious title of the first African-American author to publish a book of poetry.

To add on, she was helped by the Wheatley family to secure a publisher. Thus in early 1773, she traveled to London with Nathaniel Wheatley (son of her master), partly for health treatment but also to seek a publisher for her poetry. She was encouraged by Susanna (wife of her master) who was optimistic she would find a publisher in London.

Subsequently, she received an audience from prominent members of British society while on her London trip. The English religious leader Selina Hastings, Countess of Huntingdon was impressed with the poetry work.  Hence Hastings subsidized the publication of Wheatley’s poetry pieces.

Over and above that, in September 1773 the poetry work was published in London titled, Poems on Various Subjects, Religious and Moral. This earned Phillis acclaim in England as well as in American colonies. By November 1773, her poetry creations were published into a book earning her recognition as the first African American author to do so.

8. Publishing her poetry book freed her from slavery

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It was Phillis Wheatley’s literary ability that saw her break the chains of slavery. After her triumph in 1773, the Wheatley family manumitted her. Later in the spring of 1774, Susanna Wheatley passed on and her husband John followed in 1778.

9. Her creativity earned her an audience with world leaders

In 1775, Phillis Wheatley sent a poem with the headline To His Excellency, George Washington. The poem praised American progress in abolishing slavery. At the time, Washington was Commander in Chief of the Continental Army.

Following receipt of the poem, Phillis was invited by Washington to his Cambridge headquarters in Massachusetts. She honored the invitation in March 1776.

Additionally, she also wrote a poem praising the leadership of King George III in 1768. The title of the poem was To the King’s Most Excellent Majesty. In 1773 when Phillis visited London, there was an arranged invitation to meet King George III. Yet the two didn’t meet because Phillis left London for Boston following the illness of Susanna Wheatley.

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10. Phillis Wheatley died entangled in the cords of poverty

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She was free from slavery yet she ended up in the web of poverty. After her emancipation, she sought to publish a second volume of poems in 1779 to no avail. During this era, books were published based on subscriptions to serve as a guarantee for sales beforehand. Thus having lost her patrons after being freed from slavery publishing proved to be impossible.

Besides that, the American Revolutionary War which took place from 1775 to 1783, partly contributed to her challenges. It was not all gloom as some of the poems were later published in pamphlets and newspapers.

Moreover, shortly after earning her freedom from slavery, she got married to an impoverished free black grocer by the name of John Peters. They both lived in poor conditions and lost two children in their infancy stage.

Further, her husband served a prison term for debt in 1784 leaving her with a sickly infant child. She then took up a job as a domestic servant in a boarding house. She later met her demise aged 31 years while in Boston, Massachusetts on December 5, 1784. Her infant son also died soon after.

Phillis Wheatley defied all odds to become a master in her craft. A trailblazer for African Americans in the space of poetry. Amidst poverty and the challenges of being a slave, she was committed to making a legacy that is unforgettable in the arena of literature.