Essay about Phillis Wheatley - 1780 Words

Phillis Wheatley Phillis Wheatley was Americas first black poet. She was born in Senegal, Africa in 1753 and she was sold into slavery at the age of seven to John and Susannah Wheatley of Boston. Phillis was soon accepted as a member of the family, and was raised with the Wheatleys other two children. Phillis soon displayed her remarkable talents by learning to read and write English. At the age of twelve she was reading the Greek and Latin classics, and passages from the Bible. At thirteen she wrote her first poem. Phillis became a Boston sensation after she wrote a poem on the death of the evangelical preacher George Whitefield in 1770. Three years later thirty-nine of her poems were published in London as Poems on Various†¦show more content†¦She went back for her husband, but he had remarried and did not want to follow her. In 1857, Harriet finally returned for her parents and settled them in Auburn, New York. She was nicknamed the Moses of her people for leading them to freedom. In all, Harriet made 19 trips on the Underground Railroad and freed more than 300 slaves. With the arrival of the Civil War, Harriet became a spy for the Union army. She later worked in Washington DC as a government nurse. At the end of the war, Harriet returned to her parents in Auburn. In 1897, her bravery even inspired Queen Victoria to award her a silver medal. On March 10, 1913, Harriet died of pneumonia. She was 93 years old. The Underground Railroad Prior to 1837, abolitionist organizations flourished all across America. Due in part to the prosperous agricultural crops of the South, it was clear that slavery would not end soon. Once their actions became known, southern abolition organization soon vanished. To continue their operations in the South was sure to meet with violent resistance that often included death. Quakers and other sympathetic groups had over the years developed a path of freedom to the North. It was referred to as the Underground Railroad and began during the early 1830s. During the day, fugitive Black slaves were often fed and housed by sympathetic Whites. During the evening, slaves would follow the North Star, the flow of rivers, or look at the moss on trees to guideShow MoreRelatedPhillis Wheatley Essay2442 Words   |  10 PagesIntroduction The illustration that Phillis Wheatley portrays in history is an African-American woman who wrote poetry. Her life goes more into depths that what is perceived, however. Phillis Wheatley uses her poetry as a unique way to get out the truth. Through poems such as On Being Brought From Africa to America and the poem about Lee, she made statements about was what going on at that time; a revolution. Phillis Wheatley was known as a revolutionary mother, for she gave hope to slaves, easeRead MoreCharacteristics Of Phillis Wheatley859 Words   |  4 Pages Phillis Wheatley. African American, poet, slave, woman. These were all the characteristics that describe Phillis Wheatley. She was a big part of what is our country today. Also a big part of women’s rights. Phillis was born on May 8, 1753 in Gambia, Africa. At the age of 8, she was captured. She was then put on a crowded boat that would come to America. These boat rides to America were very traumatic, and Phillis was only 8 at the time. The year 1761 was the year she was sold in Boston, MassachusettsRead MoreGratitude Of Ash By Phillis Wheatley1080 Words   |  5 PagesGratitude of Ash Phillis Wheatley drew attention in the 18thcentury for being a black slave, and a child prodigy who was able to write poems and songs. She was born in Gambia, Africa, and brought to Boston as a slave when she was a child, and became slave and companion to John Wheatley’s wife. As she grew older, John Wheatley’s wife viewed her as a feeble and brilliant girl who deserves to be educated and felt great affection toward her. Therefore, Susanna Wheatley’s daughters taught Phillis how to readRead MoreRed Jacket By Phillis Wheatley1062 Words   |  5 PagesRed Jackets’ â€Å"Reply to the Missionary Jacob Cram† and the poems written by Phillis Wheatley both have something in common. Belief in a God/god(s). Red Jacket provides that in his culture there is the belief in the Great Spirit which Jacob Cram wants to change to the almighty God and Phillis Wheatley shows how what she went through as a slave brought her to an un-denying devotion to God. Religion is something that has developed continually over the years, but one thing has remained the same†¦ everyRead More The Works of Phillis Wheatley Essay examples803 Words   |  4 PagesThe Works of Phillis Wheatley Biography: Phillis Wheatley was born in West Africa around 1753. Sometime after her birth, she was brought to America and purchased by John Wheatley in 1761. He turned Phillis over to his wife, Susanna, to work as a personal maid. After realizing Phillis’ intellect, the Wheatley family encouraged Phillis to study the Bible and read English and Latin literature, history and geography. Wheatley’s first poem was published in a Rhode Island newspaper in 1767.Read MorePoetry Analysis : America By Phillis Wheatley1079 Words   |  5 PagesPoetry Analysis: America by Phillis Wheatley Born in Senegal around 1753, Phillis Wheatley became an important American poetic figure. At the age of 8, she was kidnapped and brought to Boston on a slave ship and upon her arrival to Boston, she was quickly sold to John Wheatley (Bio). Under her new family, Phillis adopted the master’s last name, taken under the wife’s wing, and showed her deep intelligence. Even though suffering from poor health, Phillis’s intelligence did not go unnoticed; she receivedRead MorePhillis Wheatley : A Pioneer Of American Poetry1310 Words   |  6 PagesPhillis Wheatley: A Pioneer of American Poetry Phillis Wheatley was an American figure unlike any other at her time. In a time where slavery was the normal, Ms. Wheatley was a revolutionary figure. She was not revolutionary because she was one of the enslaved but because she was one of the enslaved that knew how to read and write, becoming a published author. Women at the time of Phillis Wheatley were oppressed into submission to social norms. It was almost unheard of for a woman to write poetryRead MoreJohn De Crevecoeur And Phillis Wheatley The Seduction Of Freedom1723 Words   |  7 PagesHector St. John De Crà ¨vecoeur and Phillis Wheatley the seduction of freedom was strong enough to have a hold over them throughout their lives. They express obtaining or wanting independence through writing about certain myths of American culture and identity. This idea of unfiltered, unbiased liberty saturates images of America. Even before it officially became a gaggle of nations, North America was known as a wide-open space full of pos sibilities. Crà ¨vecoeur and Wheatley want the opportunity of self-determinationRead MorePhillis Wheatley Tone814 Words   |  4 Pages In â€Å"On Being Brought from Africa to America,† the author, Phillis Wheatley uses diction and punctuation to develop a subtle ironic tone. The speaker, a slave brought from Africa to America by whites magnifies the discrepancy between the whites’ perception of blacks and the reality of the situation. The author, Phillis Wheatley is an African American women who was enslaved herself at the age of 7 from Africa and is the first African American to publish a book of poetry in the colonies. In this poemRead MoreEssay on Phillis Wheatley1643 Words   |  7 Pages Phillis Wheatley, one of America’s most profound writers, has contributed greatly to American literature, not only as a writer, but as an African American woman, who has influenced many African Americans by enriching their knowledge of and exposure to their Negro heritage and Negro literature. As one of America’s most renown writers, Wheatley, said to be the mother of African American Literature, is best known for her sympathetic portrayals of African American thought. Wheatley’s literary contributions