Phillis Wheatley, Complete Writings

Phillis Wheatley - Complete Writings

A powerful voice that changed literary history

Discover the remarkable works of Phillis Wheatley, the first published African-American woman poet and one of the most important literary figures of the 18th century.

Kidnapped from West Africa as a child and sold into slavery in Boston in 1761, Wheatley defied every expectation placed upon her. Educated in English, classical literature, geography, the Bible, and Latin, she began writing poetry as a young teenager. At just fourteen, she published her first poem-astonishing readers on both sides of the Atlantic.

When publishers in Boston questioned whether an enslaved African girl could truly have written such refined verse, Wheatley traveled to London in 1773, where her groundbreaking collection Poems on Various Subjects, Religious and Moral was published to international acclaim.

This complete edition gathers her powerful body of work, including:

• Hymns and spiritual reflections
• Moving elegies and memorial poems
• Classical translations
• Philosophical and moral verse
• Political poems, including her passionate appeal to the Earl of Dartmouth comparing America's struggle for freedom to her own

Wheatley's poetry blends faith, intellect, and emotional depth. Her contemplative style and imaginative reach anticipate the Romantic movement that would follow decades later. Her voice is dignified, courageous, and historically transformative.

Also included are writings from her African-American contemporaries-Lucy Terry, Jupiter Hammon, and Francis Williams-offering broader insight into early Black literary history.

This volume is essential reading for students of American history, African-American literature, women's studies, and anyone inspired by stories of resilience and brilliance against overwhelming odds.

A timeless testament to intellect, faith, and the enduring human spirit.