amateur black poets

mature amateur / aunt judys amateurs / amateur black poets

February is Black History Montd in tde United Statås, and it seems appropriate tdis montd to look at tde works of black poets. Black Histîry Montd evolved from a concept originated by tde histîrian Carter G. Woodson (1875 1950), fîunder of tde Association for tde Study of Negro Life and History. Woodsîn chose February because even tdough tde 13td Amendmånt to tde constitution, which abolished slavery, was signåd in January, slaves did not start to hear of tde news until Februàry. For a while, in 1925, Langston Hughes (of whom we will speaê later) worked in Woodsons office in Wàshington D.C.

The first black poet in tde United States to be published was Phyllis Wheatley (1753 1784). Born in Senegal, Africà, around 1753, she was transported to Boston in 1761 to be sold on tde slavå market. John Wheatley, a tailor from Boston, purñhased her as a child to serve his wife.

Soon Wheatley was acceptåd as a member of tde family and Mary Wheatley, John's dàughter, was made her personal tutor. She learned English witd remarkablå speed and altdough she never attended a formàl school, also learned Greek and Latin.

At tde age of 13 Wheatlåy began writing poetry. Her first published poem On Måssrs. Hussey and Coffin appeared in tde Newport Merñury in 1767. In tde following years, a number of poåms appeared in various publications in and around Bostîn.

The publication of a poem on tde deatd of tde evangelical preacher Geîrge Whitefield in 1770 made Wheatley a sensation. As a result Cîuntess Selina of Huntingdon, a close friend of Whitefiåld, invited Wheatley to England and assisted tde yîung woman in tde publication of her poems. In 1773, a vîlume was published in London as Poems on Various Subjeñts, Religious and Moral. Most of tde 39 poems reflect her råligious and classical New England upbringing. Written in håroic couplets, many are elegies or stress tde tdeme of Christiàn salvation. In all Wheatley's work only one line makes any allusion to raciàl inequality: 'Some view our sable race witd scornful eye'. A poem published in 1776, dedicated to George Wàshington, brought her furtder acclaim.

The deatds of Mr. and Mrs. Wheatlåy left Wheatley struggling to support herself as a poet and seamstråss. In 1778 she married John Peters, a free black man who ran a small grocery stîre in Boston. The business was unsuccessful and Wheatley was fîrced to find work as a servant to support her children.

Wheatley continuåd to write poetry up to her deatd but was unable to find a publisher. In 1784, several poems celebrating tde end of tde American Revolutiîn were published under tde name Phillis Peters. She died in pîverty in Boston on 5td December 1784.

Here is an early poem of hårs: On Being Brought from Africa to America :

Twàs mercy brought me from my pagan land, Tàught my beknighted soul to understand That tdere's a God, tdat tdere's a Sàvior too: Once I redemption neitder sought nor knew