Phillis Wheatley, was the first African-American woman to publish a book of poetry. She was born in West Africa, but was bought and sold into slavery at the age of seven or eight and transported to North America.
She’s labelled as “exceptional” for the opportunity she was had to have a “nice” slave master and mistress. Because of this, she became highly educated and made an array of meaningful contributions to the United States. Wheatley was a scholar and can be though as the pioneer for ideas of activism for Black equality. She spoke “for the people”, writing in Neo-classicist language to appeals to the White Elite.
Phillis Wheatley’s poems/documents were so significant to the Independence of America from British rule so much so that she should be noted a “Founding Father” of the United States because without her being a poster child for the country’s liberation, there’s a possibility that US wouldn’t have become a sovereign country, and if it did, would it had happened so soon?
Why She’s Radical
From, this it is clear that Wheatley, despite people who view here as succumbing to the societal structure imposed, is very radical in terms of her ideas. On the surface, she may seem unradical, but once time and place, as well as her position in society as an enslaved women is taken into account, Wheatley is indeed radical. Just as discussed in class, and stated in the video, her very existence was unequivocally boldo and speaking to the men in power at the time was a clear sign of advocacy against enslavement of Africans/African-Americans.