Who was Phillis Wheatley? Was she just a young slave girl from hundreds of years ago, or was she an influential writer who impacted history forever? When she was a young girl of about seven, she was taken from West Africa and brought to America on a ship. After being taken to America, Phillis was bought by John Wheatley and his wife. He raised her as part of his family.
Because Phillis was raised as part of the Wheatley family, she never faced the typical difficulties that enslaved people would experience. However, this is not to say Phillis did not meet adversity. She was discriminated against and often not listened to due to her skin color. However, she was given an education and taught to read and write. She developed a love for poetry, which seemed to come naturally as she was terrific at it. After publishing her book, she was emancipated by the Wheatleys. Phillis Wheatley died at 31 due to complications during childbirth, but her legacy lives on forever in her work.
