Phillis Wheatley or Phyllis Wheatley (1753 – 1784) was the first published black American poet. His work Poems on Various Subjects, Religious and Moral earned him significant fame as far away as England.
An educated slave
Phillis' early childhood is poorly known. Born in West Africa, probably in Senegal or Gambia, Phillis was captured and enslaved when she was just seven years old. In 1761, she was sent to Boston in Massachusetts, then in English territory, on a slave ship called the Phillis . The girl was eight years old when she was bought by tailor and merchant John Wheatley, who wanted a servant for his wife Susanna. The couple named the child after the ship that took her to America, and Phillis inherited the surname from her masters.
The Wheatley couple's two children, eldest Mary and younger brother Nathaniel, teach Phillis English, reading and writing. John and Susanna, known to be relatively progressive, support this unusual upbringing for a girl and even more so for a slave. Despite her status, Phillis educated herself, learning Latin, Greek, studying the Bible, history, poetry, and writing. At the age of thirteen, she wrote her first poem, the story of two men who nearly drowned at sea, which was published in the Newport Mercury . Her talent is undeniable and the Wheatleys encourage her to develop it, gradually relieving her of household chores to allow her to devote herself to poetry.
18 men responsible for verifying the authorship of his work
After the death of Calvinist minister George Whitefield, Phillis Wheatley wrote a tribute to him in the form of a poem, “On the Death of the Rev. Mr. George Whitefield” , which is published in Boston, New York, Philadelphia, and which earned him a wide audience. Her atypical situation as an educated slave attracted mistrust and Phillis was forced to defend the authorship of her work during a trial in 1772. She emerged victorious, with a certificate signed by the hand of the 18 scholars responsible for examining her work, who recognize his talent. She writes on various subjects, inspired by the characters of her time as by Greek mythology. On the other hand, she writes very little about slavery; in one poem, she speaks of it as a cruel fate, in another she says she is happy to have been taken to America because she was thus able to convert to Christianity. Despite her status as a slave, her poems reveal a real affection for Susanna in particular.
“Susannah mourns, not can I bear,
To see the crystal shower,
Or mark the tender falling tear,
At sad departure’s hour; »
The trip to England
In 1773, at the age of 20, Phillis Wheatley accompanied Nathaniel to London. In fragile health since childhood, she made the trip to receive medical treatment, but also because Susanna believed that her chances of publishing her work were higher in England. There she obtained audiences with members of high society, many of whom gave her their support. His collection of poems Poems on Various Subjects, Religious and Moral , bringing together 28 poems on various subjects, is published and makes her the first black American to publish a book. Phillis returned to America before he was able to meet King George III, but continued to correspond with several members of high society, some in favor of the abolition of slavery. In 1775, the poetess sent George Washington a poem she had written in his honor. The following year, he invited her to meet her to personally thank her for her work.
Emancipation
In 1778, John Wheatley died and his will freed Phillis. Three months later, the poet married John Peters, a freed merchant. Both poor, they live in difficult conditions and must in particular suffer the loss of two babies. Phillis still writes, but his financial situation prevents him from having his works published. In 1784, John was imprisoned because of debts and Phillis found herself alone, with a young sick child to care for. She gets hired as a servant to support herself, but her difficult living conditions and fragile health get the better of her.
Phillis Wheatley died on December 5, 1784 at the age of 31. Her young son only survived her by a few hours.
To a Gentleman and Lady on the Death of the Lady's Brother and Sister, and a Child of the Name Avis, Aged One Year
On Death's domain intent I fix my eyes,
Where human nature in vast ruin lies,
With pensive mind I search the drear abode,
Where the great conqu'ror has his spoils bestow'd;
There is the offspring of six thousand years
In endless numbers to my view appears:
Whole kingdoms in his gloomy den are thrust,
And nations mix with their primeval dust:
Insatiate still he gluts the ample tomb;
His is the present, his the age to come
See here a brother, here a sister spread,
And a sweet daughter mingled with the dead.But, Madam, let your grievance be laid aside,
And let the fountain of your tears be dry’d,
In vain they flow to wet the dusty plain,
Your sighs are wafted to the skies in vain,
Your pains they witness, but they can no more,
While Death reigns tyrant o’er this mortal shore.The glowing stars and silver queen of light
At last must perish in the gloom of night:
Resign your friends to that Almighty hand,
Which gave them life, and bow to his command;
Thine Avis give without a murmur’ring heart,
Thought half your soul be fated to depart.
To shine guards consign thine infant care
To waft triumphant through the seas of air:
Her soul enlarg’d to heav’nly pleasure springs,
She feeds on truth and uncreated things.
Methinks I hear her in the realms above,
And leaning forward with a filial love,
Invite you there to share immortal bliss
Unknown, untasted in a state like this.
With tow’ring hopes, and growing grace arise,
And seek beatitude beyond the skies.