Phillis Wheatley was born, in West Africa in 1753 and brought to Boston in 1761.The Family which enslaved her, The Wheatleys, educated her so she studied literature and began to write poetry of her own. Her first poem was published around December 1767. In 1770 she was awarded a national acclaim for “An Elegiac Poem, on the Death of that Celebrated Divine, and Eminent Servant of Jesus Christ, the Reverend and Learned George Whitefield and this poem was published in both the United States and in London. In 1773, Phillis Wheatley became first African American to publish a book of poetry titled "Poems on Various Subjects, Religious and Moral." Also, she published many other poems (ex: "On Being Brought from Africa to America" and "On Virtue.)
Picture from: https://www.biography.com/writer/phillis-wheatley
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