Phillis Wheatley Historical

Phillis Wheatley Historical (HM1USH)

Location: Newport News, VA 23607
Buy Virginia State flags at Flagstore.com!
Country: United States of America
Buy United States of America flags at Flagstore.com!

N 36° 59.209', W 76° 24.733'

  • 0 likes
  • 0 check ins
  • 0 favorites
  • 782 views
Inscription

Slave Poet of Colonial America

Phillis Wheatley (c. 1753-1784) was America's first black published poet. Born in Africa, she was brought to Boston in 1861 and sold to merchant John Wheatley as a servant for his wife. Phillis was tutored by her progressive owners and received an unprecedented education. By the age of twelve, she was reading Greek and Latin classics as well as difficult passages from the Bible. At thirteen, she wrote her first poem and became a sensation. Amazed by her literary ability, the Wheatley family exempted her from household labor to concentrate on her studies.

In 1773, she was sent to London to recover her health. While there, a collection of her work was published as Poems on Various Subjects, Religious and Moral, the first book by an African American. Her 1775 poem celebrating George Washington resulted in an invitation to his home and attention from Thomas Jefferson. As a strong supporter of independence during the American Revolution, she championed the end of slavery. In 1778, Wheatley was legally freed by her master's will. She died in 1784, at age 31. Phillis Wheatley is highly regarded today as she marks the beginning of the genre of African American literature.

(Inscription under the image in the upper right) Since 1942, the Phillis Wheatley branch of the YWCA has been a staple in the East End community. It began operations
in the Women's Community House at 842 Hampton Avenue. In 1948, an expanded center at 2702 Orcutt Avenue was dedicated. Destroyed by fire in 1961, it was rebuilt after a rousing fund drive at a cost of $60,000. The YWCA is dedicated to eliminating racism, empowering women and promoting peace, justice, freedom and dignity for all.
Details
HM NumberHM1USH
Tags
, ,
Marker ConditionNo reports yet
Date Added Sunday, October 2nd, 2016 at 5:02pm PDT -07:00
Pictures
Sorry, but we don't have a picture of this historical marker yet. If you have a picture, please share it with us. It's simple to do. 1) Become a member. 2) Adopt this historical marker listing. 3) Upload the picture.
Locationbig map
UTM (WGS84 Datum)18S E 374321 N 4094341
Decimal Degrees36.98681667, -76.41221667
Degrees and Decimal MinutesN 36° 59.209', W 76° 24.733'
Degrees, Minutes and Seconds36° 59' 12.54" N, 76° 24' 43.98" W
Driving DirectionsGoogle Maps
Area Code(s)804, 757
Closest Postal AddressAt or near 2702 Orcutt Ave, Newport News VA 23607, US
Alternative Maps Google Maps, MapQuest, Bing Maps, Yahoo Maps, MSR Maps, OpenCycleMap, MyTopo Maps, OpenStreetMap

Is this marker missing? Are the coordinates wrong? Do you have additional information that you would like to share with us? If so, check in.

Nearby Markersshow on map
Check Ins  check in   |    all

Have you seen this marker? If so, check in and tell us about it.

Comments 0 comments

Maintenance Issues
  1. Is this marker part of a series?
  2. What historical period does the marker represent?
  3. What historical place does the marker represent?
  4. What type of marker is it?
  5. What class is the marker?
  6. What style is the marker?
  7. Does the marker have a number?
  8. What year was the marker erected?
  9. Who or what organization placed the marker?
  10. This marker needs at least one picture.
  11. Can this marker be seen from the road?
  12. Is the marker in the median?
© 2024  Historical Marker Project.  All Rights Reserved.
All registered trademarks are the property of their respective owners.
HMP is owned and operated by 3RiverDev (Fort Wayne, Indiana).
Terms and Conditions   |   Privacy Policy   |   Disclaimers   |   About   |   Contact Us