Wheatley, Phillis, c. 1753-1784

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Phillis Wheatley (c. 1753-1784), first Black woman poet in America, was brought as an African slave in about 1761 to Boston, Mass., where she was purchased by John Wheatley. Educated in the Wheatley household, first by Wheatley's wife Susannah and later by his daughter Mary, Phillis Wheatley began writing poems in her early teens. It was through her published poetry that she became a member of Boston's literati and travelled briefly to England, returning in 1773 during Mrs. Wheatley's final illness. After John Wheatley's death, she married John Peters in 1778; she and her only surviving child died impoverished in December 1784.
Archival Resources
Role Title Holding Repository
creatorOf Wheatley, Phillis, 1753-1784. Phillis Wheatley collection, [ca. 1757-1773]. Emory University. Special Collections and Archives
referencedIn Gross, Carl R. (Carl Russell), 1888-1971,. Carl R. Gross collection, 1760s?-1966. Moorland-Spingarn Research Center, Howard University
referencedIn The Notable Women of Boston, 1980 Arthur and Elizabeth Schlesinger Library on the History of Women in America‏
referencedIn Trent, William J. William Johnson Trent papers, [18--]-[19--]. Livingstone College, Andrew Carnegie Library
referencedIn Ethnic Heritage Studies: Developing a Programmed Literature Unit Balch Institute for Ethnic Studies Library
referencedIn American Author Portraits [manuscript], 1774-1902. University of Virginia. Library
referencedIn English-language manuscript verse in the Houghton Library: First-line index, ca. 1000-ca. 1820. Houghton Library
creatorOf Wheatley, Phillis, 1753-1784. Poems, 1767; 1769. American Antiquarian Society
creatorOf Wheatley, Phillis, 1753-1784. Phillis Wheatley poems, 1771, 1772. Connecticut Historical Society
creatorOf Wheatley, Phillis, 1753-1784. Letter, 1770. Duke University Libraries, Duke University Library; Perkins Library
referencedIn McConnel, Hugh. Commonplace book of songs and poems, 1780-1787. University of Virginia. Library
referencedIn Leithead, Eleanor. [Commonplace book], [ca. 1830-1865]. Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library
referencedIn Stevens, Thomas. [Commonplace book], 1779-1781. Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library
referencedIn The Story of Phyllis Wheatley National Archives at College Park
referencedIn Frances Reynolds papers, 1774-1800 and undated. Houghton Library
creatorOf Martin, Charles Douglass, 1873-1942. Charles D. Martin collection, 1889-1942. North Carolina Central University, James E. Shepard Memorial Library
referencedIn Forbes, James, 1749-1819. Commonplace book, 1766-1800. Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library
referencedIn Jordan, June, 1936-2002. Audio collection of June Jordan [sound recording]. Arthur and Elizabeth Schlesinger Library on the History of Women in America‏
creatorOf Wheatley, Phillis, 1753-1784. Poems, 1767-1807. Massachusetts Historical Society
referencedIn McConnel, Hugh, fl. 1780-1787. Commonplace book of early American songs and poems [manuscript], 1780-1787. University of Virginia. Library
referencedIn Biographical essays of the National Society of the Colonial Dames of America, 1975-ca. 1978 Arthur and Elizabeth Schlesinger Library on the History of Women in America‏
referencedIn Cox, Jeanette Keeble. Phillis Wheatley Literary and Social Club papers, 1916-2004. College of Charleston, Marlene and Nathan Addlestone Library
creatorOf Atlanta Life Insurance Company. Advertisement. Atlanta History Center, Kenan Research Center / Cherokee Garden Library
referencedIn Houghton Library printed book provenance file, R-Z and unidentified Houghton Library
referencedIn Mays, Victor, 1927-. Phillis Wheatley, America's first black poetess : production material, ca. 1971. University of Minnesota, Minneapolis
referencedIn Sparks, Jared, 1789-1866. Jared Sparks collection of American manuscripts, 1582-1843 Houghton Library
referencedIn Wright, Richard, 1908-1960. Untitled speech, on African-American literature [manuscript] / by Richard Wright, undated. University of Virginia. Library
referencedIn Guide to the Daily Worker and Daily World Photographs Collection, 1920-2001 Tamiment Library and Robert F. Wagner Labor Archives
creatorOf Wheatley, Phillis, 1753-1784. On the decease of the Revd. Doctr. Sewall. Dartmouth College Library
referencedIn Jordan, June, 1936-2002. Videotape collection of June Jordan [videorecording]. Arthur and Elizabeth Schlesinger Library on the History of Women in America‏
creatorOf Wheatley, Phillis, 1753-1784. A poem on the death of Charles Eliot aged 12 months. Dartmouth College Library
Relation Name
associatedWith Atlanta Life Insurance Company. corporateBody
associatedWith Belknap, Jeremy, 1744-1798. person
associatedWith Communist Party of the United States of America. corporateBody
associatedWith Eliot, Charles, 1771-1772. person
associatedWith Forbes, James, 1749-1819. person
associatedWith Gross, Carl R. (Carl Russell), 1888-1971, person
associatedWith Harvard University. corporateBody
associatedWith Houghton Library. person
associatedWith Jordan, June, 1936-2002. person
associatedWith Leithead, Eleanor. person
associatedWith Marshall, Samuel, d. 1771. person
associatedWith Martin, Charles Douglass, 1873-1942. person
associatedWith Mays, Victor, 1927- person
associatedWith McConnel, Hugh. person
associatedWith McConnel, Hugh, fl. 1780-1787. person
associatedWith National Society of the Colonial Dames of America corporateBody
associatedWith Pemberton, Ebenezer, 1705-1777. person
associatedWith Reynolds, Frances, 1729-1807 person
associatedWith Sewall, Joseph, 1688-1769. person
associatedWith Sewall, Joseph, 1688-1769, in fiction, drama, poetry, etc. person
associatedWith Sparks, Jared, 1789-1866 person
associatedWith Stevens, Thomas. person
associatedWith Trent, William J. person
associatedWith Washington University (Saint Louis, Mo.) corporateBody
associatedWith Whitefield, George, 1714-1770. person
associatedWith Wooster, Mary Clap, ca.1729-1807. person
associatedWith Wright, Richard, 1908-1960. person
Place Name Admin Code Country
Africa
Boston MA US
Subject
African American authors
African American poets
African Americans
African American women poets
American poetry
Poets, American
Congregational churches
Literature
Poets, Black
Women poets
Slaves
Women poets, American
Occupation
Poets
Activity

Person

Birth 1753

Death 1784-12-05

Americans

English

Information

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SNAC ID: 83834678