Phillis wheatley poems referencing revolutionary war

Phillis Wheatley became one of the best-known poets in 18th-century America.

Phillis wheatley poem to george washington

When her poems became well known, Wheatley’s work became a catalyst for the antislavery movement. For today’s students, poems by Phillis Wheatley shed light on colonial America and provide firsthand insight into a perspective we don’t hear often.

The 25 Phillis Wheatley poems below are among her best and show how strong she was at her craft, and how she helped shape the opinions of colonial men and women. Get the full text of each poem as a free printable to use with your students by filling out the form on this page.

You’ll notice some grammatical and spelling imperfections have been maintained as they were originally written.

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Who Was Phillis Wheatley?

Phillis Wheatley Poems

Who Was Phillis Wheatley?

Phillis Wheatley (1753-1784) was born in Senegal or Gambia, West Africa.

When she was around 7 years old, she was captured and taken to