Portrait of Phillis Wheatley (1753-1784), African American author, writing at a table with a quill pen for the frontpage of her book 'Poems on Various Subjects, Religious and Moral' in 1773. Wheatley was the first African American to publish a book of poetry. She was born in West Africa and was transported to the US as a slave at eight years old. Wheatley was then sold to John Wheatley, a merchant from Boston, Massachusetts as a house servant. The Wheatley family taught Phillis to read and write and supported her poetry. After the publication of her book in 1773, she was emancipated but died in poverty at the age of 31.