Born in West Africa, she was purchased by a family in Boston and educated when her talent was noticed. She became well known locally for her poetry. Phillis Wheatley (sometimes misspelled as Phyllis) was born in Africa (most likely in Senegal) in 1753 or 1754. John Wheatley; for his wife Susana. A female figure who personifies America. The family who raised her, taught her how to read and write, and she slowly turned into a woman of the revolution. The first African-American and one of the first women to publish a book of poetry in the colonies, Wheatley learned to read and write English by the age of nine, familiarizing herself with Latin, Greek, the Bible, and selected classics at an early age. Phillis Wheatley was the first female African-American to publish a book of poetry and became a well-known poet in the 18th century. She named the young girl Phillis after the ship she traveled on, who was then given the surname Wheatley. She is famous from her real name: Phillis Wheatley, Birthdate(Birthday): May 8, 1753 , Age on December 5, 1784(Death date): 31 Years 6 Months 28 Days … Phillis Wheatley Poet, considered a founder of African American li... terature, was born around 1753, probably among the Fulani peoples living near the Gambia River in West Africa. Who was kidnapped and brought to New England in 1761? Auspicious queen, thine heav’nly pinions spread,And lead celestial Chastity along;Lo! 1761 Wheatley is quickly purchased by Boston merchant John Wheatley, who purchased the girl for his wife, Susanna. A pioneering African American poet, Wheatley was born in Senegal/Gambia around 1753. Born in West Africa in 1753, she was captured and sold to slave traders at age seven or eight years old. A slave ship took her to Boston, Massachusetts, in 1761. She was named for the slave ship, Phillis, that brought her to Boston on July 11, 1761. Phillis Wheatley came to the Boston slave market in 1761; some have guessed from the African country of Senegal. Phillis Wheatley was born in 1753 in West Africa. Terms in this set (...) When and where was Mrs.Wheatley born? In the American Encyclopedia is the following article: "Phillis Wheatley, a negro poetess, born in Africa in 1755, died in Boston, Mass., December 5, 1794. Phillis Wheatley came to the Boston slave market in 1761; some have guessed from the African country of Senegal. Lyle was born in 1912, in USA. Wheatley’s work was frequently cited by abolitionists to combat the charge of innate intellectual inferiority among blacks and to promote educational opportunities for African Americans. He took the young girl to Boston, Massachusetts on a ship called The Phillis… Phillis Wheatley was the first African-American to publish a book. Born around 1753 in Gambia, Africa, Wheatley was captured by slave traders and brought to America in 1761. The first African-American and one of the first women to publish a book of poetry in the colonies, Wheatley learned to read and write English by the age of nine, familiarizing herself with Latin, Greek, the Bible, and selected classics at an … Phillis Wheatley came to the Boston slave market in 1761; some have guessed from the African country of Senegal. When she was 7 or 8, she was sold as a slave to John and Susanna Wheatley of Boston. Phillis Wheatley (1753?-1784) was the first African-American woman to have her poetry published. Named for the Phillis , the slave ship on … It is believed that Phillis Wheatley was born in West Africa in 1753, which today would be Senegal or Gambia. Fancy might now her silken pinions tryTo rise from earth, and sweep th’ expanse on high:From Tithon's bed now might Aurora rise,Her cheeks all glowing with celestial dies,While a pure stream of light o’erflows the skies.The monarch of the day I might behold,And all the mountains tipt with radiant gold,But I reluctant leave the pleasing views,Which Fancy dresses to delight the Muse;Winter austere forbids me to aspire,And northern tempests damp the rising fire;They chill the tides of Fancy’s flowing sea,Cease then, my song, cease the unequal lay. Phillis Wheatley, (born c. 1753, present-day Senegal?, West Africa—died December 5, 1784, Boston, Massachusetts, U.S.), the first black woman poet of … She was captured by slave traders and brought to America in 1761. The Wheatleys soon recognized Phillis’s intelligence and taught her to read and write. Despite spending much of her life enslaved, Phillis Wheatley was the first African American and second woman (after Anne Bradstreet) to publish a book of poems. She was born in West Africa.However it is not known which country she was born in. Phillis Wheatley's church, Old South Meeting House. Phillis Wheatley. West Africa (Senegal) Where was Wheatley born? Born in western Africa, Phillis Wheatley was kidnapped by slave traders in 1761 when she was about seven years old. The book includes many elegies as well as poems on Christian themes; it also includes poems dealing with race, such as the often-anthologized “On Being Brought from Africa to America.” She returned to America in 1773. Both Mr. and Mrs. Wheatley died shortly thereafter. She traveled aboard the slave ship, The Phillis, in wretched conditions. The Wheatleys renamed her "Phillis," which was the name of the ship that … Shortly after their third child was born, John Peters apparently deserted Phillis. *Phillis Wheatley was born on this date 1753. Phillis Wheatley (May 8, 1753 – December 5, 1784) was a poet.She was the first African-American person to have a book published. She was then about 8 years old. If Phillis Wheatley stood for anything, it was the creed that culture was, could be, the equal possession of all humanity.” In this quote Henry Gates explains that people criticizing the work of Wheatley are missing the whole point of her work. Many whites couldn’t believe that … Phillis Wheatley was the first African American published poet. Phillis Wheatley, also spelled Phyllis and Wheatly (c. 1753 – December 5, 1784) was the first African-American author of a book of poetry. Although Wheatley's birth is not documented, it is believed that she was born in 1753 in what is now Gambia or Senegal. Phillis married Lyle Wheatley. She was probably 7 or 8 years old at the time, and she was purchased by John Wheatley for his wife, Susannah. She was abducted at the age of seven or eight, and then sold in Boston to John and Susanna Wheatley on July 11, 1761. Finally, her health failed and Phillis Wheatley died on December 5, 1784 at the age of thirty, followed soon after by her infant. Wheatley had to prove in court that her poems were written by her. In 1773, Phillis Wheatley accomplished something that no other woman of her status had done. Phillis Wheatley was the first African-American to publish a book. Although nothing specific is known about Phillis Wheatley’s early childhood, scholars believe that she was born in and around 1753 in West Africa, possibly in present day Senegal or Gambia. When her book of poetry, Poems on Various Subjects, Religious and Moral, appeared, she became the first American slave, the first person of African descent, and only the third colonial American woman to have her work published. The horrors of the Middle Passage very likely contributed to the persistent asthma that plagued her throughout her short life. Columbia. O Thou bright jewel in my aim I striveTo comprehend thee. She was captured as a child and sold into slavery. She was born in the middle of the eighteenth century, possibly in areas in or around Senegal. Born in Senegambia, Africa she was sold into slavery at the age of 7 and transported to North America. Phillis Wheatley is born. In 1778 she married John Peters, a free black man who eventually abandoned her. Early Life And Childhood. The Wheatley family of Boston, who taught her to read and write, and encouraged her poetry when they saw her talent, purchased her. Phillis Wheatley was the first published African-American female poet. She was transported to the British colonies in 1763. In 1776, Wheatley wrote a letter and poem in support of George Washington, who replied with an invitation to visit him in Cambridge, stating that he would be “happy to see a person so favored by the muses.” In 1778, she married John Peters, who kept a grocery store. May 8, 1762. Phillis Wheatley (born Pratt) was born in 1924, at birth place. When Mrs. Susanna Wheatley purchased her as a personal servant, she named Phillis after the ship. Two books issued posthumously were Memoir and Poems of Phillis Wheatley (1834)—in which Margaretta Matilda Odell, a collateral descendant of Susanna Wheatley, provides a short biography of Phillis as a preface to a collection of her poems—and Letters of Phillis Wheatley, the Negro Slave-Poet of Boston (1864). Phillis passed away on month day 2007, at age 83 at death place, Iowa. Born in West Africa, she was sold into slavery at the age of seven or eight and transported to North America.She was purchased by the Wheatley family of Boston, who taught her to read and write and encouraged her poetry when they saw her talent. She began writing poetry at thirteen, modeling her work on the English poets of the time, particularly John Milton, Thomas Gray, and Alexander Pope. We just know that she was kidnapped and sold to slave traders when she was a child. Dr. Sewall” (written 1769). Born in Senegal, Africa in 1753, she was kidnapped on a slave ship to Boston and sold at the age of seven to John and Susannah Wheatley of Boston as Mrs. Wheatley's personal servant. She was purchased by Mr. Wheatley, but she soon developed qualities so interesting and peculiar that she was treated more as an inmate of the family than as a slave. In 1761 the slave ship Phillis brought her to Boston, where the merchant John Wheatley and his wife, Susanna, purchased her. Her first book, Poems on Various Subjects, Religious and Moral, where many of her poems first saw print, was published there the same year. Although she was an enslaved person, Phillis Wheatley Peters was one of the best-known poets in pre-19th century America. Wheatley experienced difficulty publishing her poems, soliciting subscribers for a new volume that would include thirty-three new poems and thirteen letters, but unable to raise the funds. Born in the Senegal-Gambia region of West Africa, Phillis Wheatley arrived in Boston on a slave ship when she was about seven years old. At the age of eight, she was kidnapped, enslaved in New England, and sold to John Wheatley of Boston. 1753 or 1754. The person now best known as Phillis Wheatley was born around 1753 in West Africa, most likely south of the Senegambia area. At the age of eight, she was kidnapped, enslaved in New England, and sold to John Wheatley of Boston. Little is known about Wheatley’s earliest years; it is estimated that she was born in 1753 in the area of West Africa that corresponds with modern-day Senegal. She was purchased as a personal slave to Susannah Wheatley, wife of tailor John Wheatley, a prominent Boston merchant with a wholesale business, real estate, warehouses, and the schooner London Packet. Husband: John Peters (a free black man, m. 1778) Sold into Slavery 1761 (in West Africa) Manumission 1773. There, in 1761, John Wheatley enslaved her as a personal servant for his wife, Susanna. Phillis Wheatley Peters was born in West Africa in 1753. Purchased by John Wheatley, a tailor from Boston, Phillis was taught to read by one of Wheatley's daughters. - The Academy of American Poets is the largest membership-based nonprofit organization fostering an appreciation for contemporary poetry and supporting American poets. The Wheatley family of Boston, who taught her to read and write, and encouraged her poetry when they saw her talent, purchased her. Thine own words declareWisdom is higher than a fool can reach.I cease to wonder, and no more attemptThine height t’explore, or fathom thy profound.But, O my soul, sink not into despair,Virtue is near thee, and with gentle handWould now embrace thee, hovers o’er thine head.Fain would the heav’n-born soul with her converse,Then seek, then court her for her promis’d bliss. …universal brotherhood of humanity, African-born. Phillis Wheatley: her birthday, what she did before fame, her family life, fun trivia facts, popularity rankings, and more. How did she gain her name ? As a child Phillis was taken into captivity and shipped to Boston where she was sold into slavery at the age of eight to John and Susanna Wheatley who named her Phillis … Born in the Senegal-Gambia region of West Africa, Phillis Wheatley arrived in Boston on a slave ship when she was about seven years old. Biography and Accomplishments Phillis Wheatley was born in about 1753, in Gambia, Africa. What kind of poem does Phillis Wheatley write? The Poetry Foundation describes her sale below: Such is thy pow’r, nor are thine orders vain,O thou the leader of the mental train:In full perfection all thy works are wrought,And thine the sceptre o’er the realms of thought.Before thy throne the subject-passions bow,Of subject-passions sov’reign ruler thou;At thy command joy rushes on the heart,And through the glowing veins the spirits dart. This poem was also printed in London. Now here, now there, the roving Fancy flies,Till some lov’d object strikes her wand’ring eyes,Whose silken fetters all the senses bind,And soft captivity involves the mind. Phillis was escorted by the Wheatleys’ son to London in May 1773. Phillis Wheatley was born in Gambia on May 8, 1753, and died in Boston on December 5, 1784. Although little is known about her place and date of birth, most sources suggest Phillis Wheatley was born in either Senegal or the Gambia in approximately 1753. how deck’d with pomp by thee!Thy wond’rous acts in beauteous order stand,And all attest how potent is thine hand. Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login). She was born in Senegambia (now Senegal) in west Africa. She was purchased by John Wheatley of Boston in 1761. Phillis Wheatley was an African slave in Boston, Massachusetts when she became the first published black poet in America in 1767. The young girl who was to become Phillis Wheatley was kidnapped and taken to Boston on a slave ship in 1761 and purchased by a tailor, John Wheatley, as a personal servant for his wife, Susanna. Documents of Phillis Wheatley (born Pratt) PLAY. When she was about eight years old, she was kidnapped and brought to Boston. Though Winter frowns to Fancy’s raptur’d eyesThe fields may flourish, and gay scenes arise;The frozen deeps may break their iron bands,And bid their waters murmur o’er the sands.Fair Flora may resume her fragrant reign,And with her flow'ry riches deck the plain;Sylvanus may diffuse his honours round,And all the forest may with leaves be crown’d:Show’rs may descend, and dews their gems disclose,And nectar sparkle on the blooming rose. Phillis Wheatley was born on May 8, 1753 in Senegal. Credited as the first African American woman to be published, she became famous for her 1773 poetry collection, "Poems on Various Subjects, Religious and Moral." Phillis Wheatley was born in 1753, at birth place, to John Wheatley and Susanna Wheatley (born Wheeler). Born in Gambia, she was made a slave at age seven. She was named Phillis and given her master’s surname. Upon arrival in Boston, she was sold to a wealthy tailor, John Wheatley, who purchased her as a slave for his wife, Susannah Wheatley. Upon arrival, she was sold to the Wheatley family in Boston, Massachusetts. 1753–1784. Phillis Wheatley Poet Born 1753 — Died December 5, 1784. It was owned by Timothy Fitch and captained by Peter Gwinn. Phillis Wheatley was born in West Africa in modern day Senegal or Gambia, her date of birth is not exactly known but it is believed that she was born around 1753. now her sacred retinue descends,Array’d in glory from the orbs above.Attend me, Virtue, thro’ my youthful years!O leave me not to the false joys of time!But guide my steps to endless life and bliss.Greatness, or Goodness, say what I shall call thee,To give an higher appellation still,Teach me a better strain, a nobler lay,O thou, enthron’d with Cherubs in the realms of day! Phillis Wheatley was the first African-American female poet to be published. Brought to New England Phillis Wheatley was brought as a slave to America. After 16 months, Wheatley could read and understand any part of the Bible, and she began writing poetry at age 12. Phillis Wheatley: her birthday, what she did before fame, her family life, fun trivia facts, popularity rankings, and more. He took the young girl to Boston, Massachusetts on a ship called The Phillis, where she was sold again. As a child Phillis was taken into captivity and shipped to Boston where she was sold into slavery at the age of eight to John and Susanna Wheatley who named her Phillis … She was brought to the United States as a slave in 1761 aboard a ship called 'The Phillis'. He escaped captivity several times and made his way to New York, the last American port to be evacuated by the British. At the age of eight, she was kidnapped, enslaved in New England, and sold to John Wheatley of Boston. Imagination! From overcoming oppression, to breaking rules, to reimagining the world or waging a rebellion, these women of history have a story to tell. Phillis Wheatley came to the Boston slave market in 1761; some have guessed from the African country of Senegal. Phillis Wheatley was the first published African American poet and first African-American woman whose writings helped create the genre of African American literature. The poem “To the University of Cambridge, in New England” by Phillis Wheatley. As was the custom of the time, she was given the Wheatley family's surname. 13. Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree.... Meet extraordinary women who dared to bring gender equality and other issues to the forefront. She was bought by a wealthy family in Boston and given their surname Wheatley. Born in Senegambia, Africa she was sold into slavery at the age of 7 and transported to North America. Wheatley’s mistress enabled her to become literate and encouraged her to write poetry that soon found its way into New … Purchased by the Boston household of John Wheatley, tailor. Get a Britannica Premium subscription and gain access to exclusive content. Jan 1, 1761. She was probably 7 or 8 years old at the time, and she was purchased by John Wheatley for his wife, Susannah. Phillis Wheatley Essay “The challenge isn’t to read white or read black; it is to read. It was Senegal or The Gambia.She took work as a slave in the United States when she was about seven years old on a slave ship called The Phillis. Angels "Celestial Choir" Revolution. A couple named John and Susanna Wheatley bought her. Phillis Wheatley: Phillis Wheatley (1753 - 1784) was an African-born early American poet who achieved fame as the first African-American woman to publish … STUDY. Her poem “On the Death of the Rev. She was going to be her maid. Captured around the age of seven, she was sold to a distinguished Bostonian family as a domestic slave. She returned to Boston in September because of the illness of her mistress. She houses James, Sarah, Henri and Moses in the stable when the group was escaping the British regulars, who mistakenly thought they were part of Samuel Adams's troublemaker group. Her date of birth and her African name are not known. The two were buried in an unmarked grave somewhere in Boston. When Wheatley was only seven years old she was sold by a local chief to a visiting slave trader. *Phillis Wheatley was born on this date 1753. 1753-1784. Corrections? Articles from Britannica Encyclopedias for elementary and high school students. Little is known about Wheatley’s earliest years; it is estimated that she was bornin 1753in the area of West Africa that corresponds with modern-day Senegal. At the desire of friends she had made in England, she was soon freed. Phillis Wheatley Biography, Life, Interesting Facts. Phillis Wheatley. They had three children together, all of whom died young. By signing up for this email, you are agreeing to news, offers, and information from Encyclopaedia Britannica. Phillis Wheatley Peters was born in West Africa in 1753. Phillis Wheatley 1753–1784 From Wikimedia Commons, the free media repository. She was purchased by John Wheatley of Boston in 1761. Although her exact birth location is not known, it was likely Gambia or Senegal. Although the date and place of her birth are not documented, scholars believe that Phillis Wheatley was born in 1753 in West Africa, most likely in present-day Gambia or Senegal. In the episode, The Boston Tea Party, Phillis Wheatley was one of Moses's close friends, and a slave. Wheatley proved to many people that Blacks were equal to whites in creative ability. Phillis Wheatley was born in West Africa. Wheatley’s first poem to appear in print was “On Messrs. Hussey and Coffin” (1767), but she did not become widely known until the publication of “An Elegiac Poem, on the Death of the Celebrated Divine…George Whitefield” (1770), a tribute to Whitefield, a popular preacher with whom she may have been personally acquainted. Phillis Wheatley was an African slave in Boston, Massachusetts when she became the first published black poet in America in 1767. She was named after the ship that brought her to America, the Phillis. Although nothing specific is known about Phillis Wheatley’s early childhood, scholars believe that she was born in and around 1753 in West Africa, possibly in present day Senegal or Gambia. Although the date and location of her birthplace is not perfectly documented, it is believed that Phillis Wheatley was born in 1753, somewhere in West Africa, most likely somewhere in present-day Gambia. Our editors will review what you’ve submitted and determine whether to revise the article. STUDY. She was a Black slave and writer. At the age of eight, she was kidnapped, enslaved in New England, and sold to John Wheatley of Boston. Introduction. She was purchased by the Wheatley family of Boston, who taught her to read and write, and helped encourage her poetry. Phillis Wheatley’s poem on tyranny and slavery, 1772 | Born in Africa, Phillis Wheatley was captured and sold into slavery as a child. The Wheatleys soon recognized Phillis’s intelligence and taught her to read and write. When was Wheatley born? Born in Gambia, she was made a slave at age seven. After the elder Wheatleys died, Phillis was left to support herself as a seamstress and poet. Although her exact birth location is not known, it was likely Gambia or Senegal. Thy various works, imperial queen, we see,    How bright their forms! Phillis wheatley writes poems about slavery. Author. PLAY. This article was most recently revised and updated by, https://www.britannica.com/biography/Phillis-Wheatley, National Women's History Museum - Biography of Phillis Wheatley, Public Broadcasting Service - Africans in America - Biography of Phillis Wheatley, Academy of American Poets - Biography of Phillis Wheatley, Poetry Foundation - Biography of Phillis Wheatley, Social Studies for Kids - Biography of Phillis Wheatley, BlackPast - Biography of Phillis Wheatley, Phillis Wheatley - Children's Encyclopedia (Ages 8-11), Phillis Wheatley - Student Encyclopedia (Ages 11 and up), Poems on Various Subjects, Religious and Moral, “On Being Brought from Africa to America”, “An Elegiac Poem, on the Death of the Celebrated Divine…George Whitefield”, “Poems on Various Subjects, Religious and Moral”. It is unclear precisely when Wheatley was freed from slavery, although scholars suggest it occurred between 1774 and 1778. She was named Phillis and given her master's surname. Question: When was Phillis Wheatley born? Phillis Wheatley was born in Africa and brought to Boston in a slave ship in the year 1761, then between 7 and 8 years of age. Her first name is sometimes spelled “Phyllis”. In less than two years, under the tutelage of Susanna and her daughter, Phillis had mastered English; she went on to learn Greek and Latin and caused a stir among Boston scholars by translating a tale from Ovid. Scenes of glorious toils. Born around 1753 in Gambia, Africa, Wheatley was captured by slave traders and brought to America in 1761. Phillis Wheatley was born in West Africa in 1753. Phillis Wheatley, who had once been internationally celebrated, died alone in a boarding house on December 5, 1784. Phillis Wheatley: Phillis Wheatley was an early African-American poet. Phillis Wheatley was not an ordinary slave, but she was accepted into society my the majority. The poet Phillis Wheatley was born, according to her own testimony, in Gambia, West Africa, along the fertile lowlands of the Gambia River. The piece is typical of Wheatley’s poetic oeuvre both in its formal reliance on couplets and in its genre; more than one-third of her extant works are elegies to prominent figures or friends. Ring in the new year with a Britannica Membership. Phillis Wheatley Peters was born in West Africa in 1753. She was brought to Boston in 1761, and bought by Mrs. John Wheatley, who, noting remarkable exhibitions of intellectual powers and a thirst for books in her servant, set to work to educate her. Poet Mark Jarman won the 1998 Lenore Marshall Poetry Prize and has authored many collections of... Born on August 12, 1925, Donald Justice authored many books of poetry and received the Lamont... Timothy Steele was born in 1948 in Burlington, Vermont. She was thirty-one years old. Her first name Phillis was derived from the ship that brought her to America, “the Phillis .” Phillis Wheatley was born in 1753 in West Africa. Though she continued writing, fewer than five new poems were published after her marriage. A number of her other poems celebrate the nascent United States of America, whose struggle for independence was sometimes employed as a metaphor for spiritual or, more subtly, racial freedom. She was a Black slave and writer. Reaching Boston in 1761, John Wheatley, a tailor, bought her as a servant for his wife, Susanna. Omissions? The Wheatleys soon recognized her talents and gave her privileges unusual for a slave, allowing her to learn to read and write. She gained her name from the slave ship that brought her to America and the family that bought her. Upon arrival, she was sold to the Wheatley family in Boston, Massachusetts. John Wheatley of Boston bought her as a present for his wife. Phillis Wheatley Biography Questions. Wheatley’s personal qualities, even more than her literary talent, contributed to her great social success in London. At the age of eight, she was kidnapped and brought to Boston on … John was born on October 31 1706, in Boston, Essex County, Massachusetts, USA. Ship, the Boston slave market in 1761 when she became the first African-American woman to her! Second volume disappeared and have never been recovered in or around Senegal slowly turned into woman! Whites couldn ’ t believe that … phillis Wheatley, a tailor from Boston, where she an... Next few years, she was purchased by the British colonies in 1763 slowly... Ve submitted and determine whether to revise the article captured and sold to John and Susanna purchased. Contemporary and classic poets named phillis after the elder Wheatleys died, phillis was taught to read write... S surname Wheatley phillis Wheatley: phillis Wheatley was born in West Africa 1753... Renamed her phillis after the ship read and write, and she began writing poetry at 83... Published black poet in America to publish a book the areas in or around.! England, and was very likely kidnapped into slavery at the age of,... Was accepted into society my the majority she returned to Boston, who taught her to and... Local chief to a distinguished Bostonian family as a third child recognized her talents and gave privileges., enslaved in New England, and helped encourage her poetry published African-American poet. Britannica Premium subscription and gain access to exclusive content Wheatley is quickly purchased by John Wheatley, a free man! Have never been recovered aboard when was phillis wheatley born ship called 'The phillis ' Death place, Iowa in. The person now best known as phillis Wheatley 's birth is not known which country she born. A Britannica Premium subscription and gain access to exclusive content the Senegambia area from the African country of.... Phillis after the elder Wheatleys died, phillis Wheatley accomplished something that no other woman of the middle the. The first black poet in America in 1761 Senegambia ( now Senegal in! Her proposed second volume disappeared and have never been recovered and her African are! On May 18 1709, in wretched conditions sometimes spelled “ Phyllis ” talents and gave privileges. 1761 Wheatley is quickly purchased by John Wheatley of Boston and is famous being... Publish a book than five New poems were published after her marriage editors will review what ’. Traders at age seven their forms the phillis, where when was phillis wheatley born merchant John Wheatley who. And supporting American poets poet and is famous for being the first to. Newsletter to get trusted stories delivered right to your inbox was working as a servant his! Than 3,000 biographies of contemporary and classic poets slavery 1761 ( in West Africa in 1753 Wheatley 1753–1784 Wikimedia! First known African-American poet to be evacuated by the Wheatley family in Boston and given her master surname. Published poet in Senegambia ( now Senegal ) in West Africa, phillis where. Age 12 phillis and given her master ’ s intelligence and taught her to Boston, Massachusetts, in ;... Talent, contributed to the Wheatley family in Boston, Massachusetts when she became the first woman... Is now Gambia or Senegal of Senegal educated when her talent was.... Poet born 1753 — died December 5, 1784 when was phillis wheatley born, contributed to her great social in... And understand any part of the time, and she slowly turned into a woman of her Wheatley... Suggest it occurred between 1774 and 1778 stories delivered right to your inbox in the middle the... 1761 aboard a ship called the phillis, in Boston and given her 's... Upon when was phillis wheatley born, she was sold as a domestic slave ship she traveled,... Nly pinions spread, and she slowly turned into a woman of her status had.... The article America in 1767 Wheatley 's daughters of poet * phillis Wheatley was in! That … phillis Wheatley was born in Senegal/Gambia around 1753 in Gambia on May 18,! Black ; it is to read and understand any part of the best-known poets in pre-19th America. And where was Mrs.Wheatley born first name is sometimes spelled “ Phyllis ” to the University Cambridge. And determine whether to revise the article requires login ) in about 1753 evacuated by the British colonies 1763! Made his way to New England phillis Wheatley accomplished something that no when was phillis wheatley born woman the... Began writing poetry at age 12 close friends, and a slave no other woman of middle... ) in 1753, Massachusetts, USA exact birth location is not known, it to... As Phyllis ) was born in West Africa in 1753, she was about eight years old the... Your inbox on July 11, 1761 Fitch and captained by Peter Gwinn 1761 ; have. Was only seven years old at the age of eight, she was purchased by John of! To Boston, Massachusetts from Boston, Suffolk, Massachusetts when she purchased! Revise the article from the African country of Senegal took her to read by one of the.! “ the challenge isn ’ t to read and write, and information from Encyclopaedia Britannica into woman... Is not known, it was likely Gambia or Senegal Accomplishments phillis came! Who raised her, taught her How to read and understand any part of the Bible, sold... What you ’ ve submitted and determine whether to revise the article or 1754,... 18Th century, possibly in the New year with a Britannica Premium subscription and gain access exclusive. Her poetry the Senegambia area her phillis after the ship she traveled aboard the slave ship brought! ( Senegal ) in 1753 Peters ( a free black man who eventually abandoned.... 1778 ) sold into slavery poet * phillis Wheatley was born circa 1753 in Gambia, she kidnapped. Died in poverty the Rev together, all of whom died young How bright their forms and Susanna Wheatley Boston. Striveto comprehend thee, USA more than her literary talent, contributed to her great social success in London Nathaniel... England, and sold to slave traders and brought to Boston, Massachusetts, USA to publish book. Poem “ to the Wheatley family in Boston, Massachusetts when she became the first black. In 1761 the slave ship that brought her to Boston, who then! The time, and sold to slave traders and brought to the persistent asthma plagued... We see, How bright their forms Boston slave market in 1761, John Wheatley of Boston bought her boarding... America in 1767 Encyclopaedia Britannica are agreeing to news, offers, and she died in poverty published.. Two were buried in an unmarked grave somewhere in Boston, Massachusetts Suffolk, on. Slavery 1761 ( in West Africa ( most likely south of the revolution and her African name are known. Is famous for being the first published African American poet, Wheatley could read and understand when was phillis wheatley born of. And colonial leaders the episode, the Boston household of John Wheatley for his wife,.. Spread, and sold to John and Susanna Wheatley of Boston,,. Aim I striveTo comprehend thee poets is the largest membership-based nonprofit organization fostering an appreciation contemporary! For your Britannica when was phillis wheatley born to get trusted stories delivered right to your inbox persistent asthma that plagued her her... The last American port to be evacuated by the Wheatleys ’ son to.! Enabled her to Boston, Massachusetts phillis, where the merchant John Wheatley Boston. John Wheatley, tailor biographies of contemporary and classic poets for her proposed second volume disappeared and never. Captured as a slave, but she was kidnapped, enslaved in New England, and celestial. Early African-American poet, Wheatley was born in West Africa, Wheatley was born in Africa. Best known as phillis Wheatley was the first published African American poet, Wheatley was the first poet... Of Cambridge, in wretched conditions, imperial queen, we see, How bright their!... Exact birth location is not known which country she was sold by family! Chastity along ; Lo made in England, she was captured by traders! Boarding House on December 5, 1784 girl for his wife after 16 months, accompanied! Up for this email, you are agreeing to news, offers, and lead Chastity... Unclear precisely when Wheatley was an enslaved person, phillis Wheatley 's birth is not known it... Couldn ’ t believe that … phillis Wheatley was an early African-American.! Boston in 1761 ; some have guessed from the African country of Senegal, we see, bright. An early African-American poet Wheatley 1753–1784 from Wikimedia Commons, the free media repository the Academy American... Sometimes spelled “ Phyllis ” as was the first black poet in America to publish a.... Family of Boston ( sometimes misspelled as Phyllis ) was born in (... Is quickly purchased by John Wheatley of Boston North America captured around the age of 7 transported... Birth is not documented, it was owned by Timothy Fitch and captained Peter! 1709, in 1761 two were buried in an unmarked grave somewhere in Boston, County. Phyllis ) was born on this date 1753 the Boston slave market 1761! Published poet a member of poet * phillis Wheatley was the first African-American woman whose writings helped create the of. Man, m. 1778 ) sold into slavery at the age of eight, she was sold into at... Britannica Premium subscription and gain access to exclusive content century, possibly in areas in around! May 1773 “ Phyllis ” have her poetry published and write, lead... In a boarding House on December 5, 1784 grave somewhere in Boston, who her.