Phillis Wheatley (c. 1753-1784) was an American freed slave and poet who
wrote the first book of poetry by an African-American. Sold into a
slavery in West Africa at the age of around seven, she was taken to
North America where she served the Wheatley family of Boston. Phillis
was tutored in reading and writing by Mary, the Wheatleys' 18-year-old
daughter, and was reading Latin and Greek classics from the age of
twelve. Encouraged by the progressive Wheatleys who recognised her
incredible literary talent, she wrote "To the University of Cambridge"
when she was 14 and by 20 had found patronage in the form of Selina
Hastings, Countess of Huntingdon. Her works garnered acclaim in both
England and the colonies and she became the first African American to
make a living as a poet. This volume contains a collection of Wheatley's
best poetry, including the titular poem "Being Brought from Africa to
America". Contents include: "Phillis Wheatley", "Phillis Wheatley by
Benjamin Brawley", "To Maecenas", "On Virtue", "To the University of
Cambridge", "To the King's Most Excellent Majesty", "On Being Brought
from Africa to America", "On the Death of the Rev. Dr. Sewell", "On the
Death of the Rev. Mr. George Whitefield", etc. Ragged Hand is proudly
publishing this brand new collection of classic poetry with a
specially-commissioned biography of the author.
