Phillis Wheatley – There is an analogy that states, ‘When you were born, you looked like your parents, but when you die, you look like your decisions.’ This profound statement’s ideology must have awakened the inner power in Phillis Wheatley, as she dared to walk through the valley of the shadow of death to fulfill her purpose.
Torn between the deep red sea and the devil, with no iota of hope, Wheatley defied reality’s odds to become the pioneer of what can be contemporarily described as the legend of words.
Delving into her remarkable life story, Phillis Wheatley was a slave from Senegal purchased by an American. Sold at just seven years old, this must have tainted young Wheatley’s childhood experience.
Amidst her plethora of pain and misery, she began writing poetry in a foreign language at thirteen.
Although her authorship of these indelible poems was questioned, at twenty years old, she was extolled for her extraordinary performance as she recited texts from Virgil, Milton, and the Bible, affirming the originality of her work.
Phillis Wheatley’s noteworthy dedication to her gifts and talents earned her the distinction of being the first African-American author to publish a book in the United States.
Phillis Wheatley’s impact is remembered through various dedications, including her inclusion on the Boston Women’s Heritage Trail.
Her name is honored by institutions such as the YWCA in Washington, D.C., high schools in Houston and Florida, and libraries in South Carolina and New York. Moreover, elementary schools and community centers in New Orleans, Greenville, and Minneapolis bear her name, testifying to her enduring legacy.
In the contemporary era, Wheatley’s gifts have spread like a gospel, inspiring remarkable poets globally who persevere in making society a better place through their masterpieces.
Unfortunately, she died at the age of 31. (Born in 1753- Died in 1784)