school at all (NWHM Exhibit). She became very familiar with the Bible as well as the works of poets John Milton, Alexander Pope, and Thomas Gray. Phillis Wheatley Peters, also spelled Phyllis and Wheatly (c. 1753 â December 5, 1784) was the first African-American author of a published book of poetry. Phillis Wheatley was a highly educated woman and a gifted poet of the late eighteenth century. On Phillis Wheatley. Her elegy for the evangelist George Whitefield, brought more attention to Phillis Wheatley. of GA Press, 2011).. At the age of eight, she was kidnapped, enslaved in New England, and sold to John Wheatley of Boston. However, the death of Mrs. Wheatley in 1774 (whose illness required Phillis to return prematurely from London) and the Revolutionary war were to change her life drastically. Although she was an enslaved person, Phillis Wheatley Peters was one of the best-known poets in pre-19th century America. Portrait reportedly painted by Scipio Moorhead (S. M.) For the best biography, check out Phillis Wheatley: Biography of a Genius in Bondage by Vincent Carretta (Univ. These relevant questions allow a reader to satisfy their knowledge and gain a better, well-rounded perspective of Phillis Wheatley. By Jay Rogers Published April 4, 2008. To what lengths across the world did Wheatleyâs works spread to continue her impact and influence? Phillis Wheatley: Precursor of American Abolitionism. Born in 1753 in Africa, Phillis Wheatley was kidnapped and sold at a slave auction at age seven to a prosperous Boston family who educated her and treated her as a family member. In 1761 Phillis was purchased as a personal slave in Boston by Susannah Wheatley, wife of tailor John Wheatley. Her works are characterized by religious and moral backgrounds, which are due to ⦠Phillis Wheatley Peters was born in West Africa in 1753. While it was unusual for woman of that era to be highly educated, it was almost unheard of for a slave to be able to read and write. In 1767, the Newport Mercury published Phillis Wheatley's first poem, a tale of two men who nearly drowned at sea, and of their steady faith in God. With these circumstances in mind, Phillis Wheatleyâs chance to receive an education as a slave was miraculous. Phillis Wheatley challenged the power structure of the 1770s â just a few years before our fledgling nation would challenge the worldwide power structure by taking on a ⦠The Influence of Religion in Phillis Wheatley's Life Phillis Wheatley overcame extreme obstacles, such as racism and sexism, to become one of the most acclaimed poets in the 18th Century. These poets came to have a strong impact on Wheatleyâs poetry. Published Poems . The strange case of Phillis Wheatley, an 18th-century poet, and her meteoric career, raises many questions, not just about literature, but about the cruel predicament of race in America. War, not poetry, became the major concern, and many of her former patrons had dangerous British connections. This attention included visits by a number of Boston's notables, including political figures and poets.