First published poem: “On Messrs. Hussey and Coffin”

On December 21, 1767, Phillis Wheatley made a historic entry into the world of published poetry with her work “On Messrs. Hussey and Coffin”. Published in the Newport Mercury, this poem marked Wheatley's remarkable debut as a literary voice, a striking accomplishment for an enslaved Black girl in colonial America. The poem caught the attention of the readership for its sophisticated command of language and insightful perspective, challenging the prevailing assumptions about the intellectual capabilities of African Americans and women during that period. Her publication broke racial and gender barriers, paving the way for future African American writers and maintaining an essential place in the history of American literature.