On Being Brought From Africa to America
Phillis Wheatley (1753-1784)
‘Twas mercy brought me from my Pagan land, Taught my benighted soul to understand That there’s a God, that there’s a Saviour too: Once I redemption neither sought nor knew. Some view our sable race with scornful eye, “Their colour is a diabolic die.” Remember, Christians, Negros, black as Cain, May be refin’d, and join th’ angelic train.
Phillis Wheatley was beyond fascinating and impressive. She was kidnapped into captivity in 1761 in Boston, Massachusetts to the Wheatley family. She was bright and learned to read and write, speak multiple languages, and write later published poetry. She brought up the conversation about slavery, in a time where no one discussed it. She also talked about race and religion. I chose the poem “On Being Brought From Africa to America” because Phillis Wheatley uses discourse that appeals to her audience (white, men, religious) in order to humanize Black slaves at the time. She herself, uses religion and art to cope with her reality as a captive. Her poem is brief, symbolizing the life she knew in the Americas. The lesson from this poem is that art is key for our humanness, and we should always cling on to it, in order for us to progress.
Why did I choose this piece?
Phillis Wheatley never got the appreciation she deserved during her lifetime. She was strong, smart, and defiant to all the circumstances that might have set her back. She was a woman of color and a slave yet still managed to get her work published and start a necessary conversation. Phillis Wheatley is the fabric of all what makes America a country of art and hope.
