Wheatley, Phillis
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Comment by David B on July 6th, 2010 at 8:41 am
This young woman was NEVER a slave.. she was purchased buy the Wheatley’s and then immediately ADOPTED! she was taught Latin, English and all the rest by her adoptive Parents!
She was such a child prodigy that she was invited by General Washington to read her verse for his officers to boost moral!
This wonderful young woman was many things, but she was NEVER A SLAVE after she became a Wheatley.
Comment by Jennifer Tanabe on April 3rd, 2013 at 5:59 pm
Thank you, David, for your comment. However, there is no evidence that Phillis was freed from slavery after being purchased by the Wheatleys. She was not trained as a domestic, but rather was educated while still having the status of slave. It was not until much later, after publishing her poetry, that she gained her freedom.
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