Poet Phillis Wheatley: From Slavery to Revolutionary Voice of Liberty

In this episode of The P.A.S. Report’s America’s Founding Series, Professor Giordano spotlights Phillis Wheatley, the first African American woman to publish a book of poetry and one of the most overlooked voices of the American Revolution. Enslaved and educated in Boston, Wheatley used her pen to champion the spirit of liberty and call out the contradictions with slavery. Her powerful poem to General George Washington not only earned his respect but may have helped shift his views on Black participation in the war. Learn how Wheatley’s words influenced the founding fathers, inspired Thomas Paine to publish her work, and became a rallying cry for freedom during America’s fight for independence.

Episode Highlights:
• How Phillis Wheatley’s poetry reached and influenced George Washington during the height of the Revolutionary War
• The remarkable meeting between Wheatley and Benjamin Franklin in London
• Why Wheatley’s legacy challenges current narratives about race, liberty, and the American founding

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Timestamps
02:24 Phyllis Wheatley from Slave to Poet
06:32 Wheatley Publishes Her Book and Sits Down with Benjamin Franklin
12:28 Wheatley's Impact on George Washington and the Revolution
17:24 Legacy of Phyllis Wheatley

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