Phillis Wheatley has been called the Poet Laureate of the American Revolution.  At a time when the new nation was still forming its identity, her poetry spoke in a refined, confident voice that reached leaders on both sides of the Atlantic.  Her work engaged directly with the ideas shaping the era, including liberty, faith, and moral responsibility, earning her recognition as one of America’s earliest published poets.
Born around 1753 in West Africa, Wheatley was kidnapped and brought to Boston in 1761.  Enslaved by the Wheatley family who recognized her literary talent and love for learning, they offered her an education.  Studying English, Latin, Greek, the Bible, and classical poetry shaped her formal style and precise language.