Phillis Wheatley

Phillis Wheatley (1753–84) was the first African American to publish a book of poetry. Brought to the US as a slave, Phillis showed such an aptitude for language that her owners eventually granted her her freedom.

• To the Public; Poems on Various Subjects, Religious and Moral: 'To Maecenas', 'On Virtue', 'To the University of Cambridge in New England', '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', 'On the Death of a Young Lady of Five Years of Age', 'On the Death of a Young Gentleman', 'To a Lady on the Death of Her Husband', 'Goliath of Gath', 'Thoughts on the Works of Providence', 'To a Lady on the Death of Three Relations', 'To a Clergyman on the Death of His Lady', 'A Hymn to the Morning', 'A Hymn to the Evening', 'Isaiah LXIII 1–8', 'On Recollection', 'On Imagination', 'A Funeral Poem on the Death of C.E.', 'To Captain H——d of the 65th Regiment', 'To the Right Honourable William, Earl of Dartmouth', 'Ode to Neptune', 'To a Lady on Her Coming to North America', 'To a Lady on Her Remarkable Preservation in a Hurricane in North Carolina', 'To a Lady and Her Children on the Death of Her Son and Their Brother', 'To a Gentleman and Lady on the Death of the Lady’s Brother and Sister, and a Child', 'On the Death of Dr Samuel Marshall', 'To a Gentleman on His Voyage to Great Britain', 'To the Rev. Dr Thomas Amory', 'On the Death of J.C., an Infant', 'A Hymn to Humanity', 'To the Honourable T.H., Esq., on the Death of His Daughter', 'Niobe in Distress for Her Children Slain by Apollo', 'To S.M., a Young African Painter', 'To His Honour the Lieutenant Governor, on the Death of His Lady', 'A Farewell to America', 'A Rebus, by I.B.', 'An Answer to the Rebus; A Memoir of Phillis Wheatley, a Native African and a Slave; Note on the Text; Notes; Index of First Lines; Appendix: Preface from the First Edition of the Poems, Notice to the Public from the First Edition of the Poems, Notice to the Public from the First Edition of the Memoir

'An attractive selection.' (John’s Autumn Picks 2020, London Review Bookshop) 'Elegant lines… the style and manner exhibit a striking proof of your great poetical talents.' (George Washington) 'Quite too interesting to be passed over by the historian in utter silence.' (B.B. Thatcher)