The U.S. Postal Service will honor Phillis Wheatley with the 49th stamp in the Black Heritage series, recognizing the first author of African descent in the American Colonies to publish a book.
The stamp will be issued January 29 at the Old South Meeting House in Boston. Wheatley was born in West Africa around 1753 and brought to Boston as an enslaved child in the early 1760s. She was educated by the Wheatley family, who enslaved her, and demonstrated exceptional literary talent from an early age. In 1773, Wheatley published "Poems on Various Subjects, Religious and Moral" in London, becoming the first African American woman to publish a book of poetry. The collection showcased her mastery of various poetic forms including hymns, elegies, and narrative verse. She was freed from slavery the same year of publication.
Following her book's release, Wheatley corresponded with prominent figures including George Washington, who praised her poetic talent. The Library of Congress describes Wheatley as "a major figure in the early history of African American literature," noting that her work challenged prevailing assumptions about the intellectual capabilities of enslaved people. Before the Civil War, abolitionists used Wheatley's accomplishments to argue against slavery and affirm the intellectual capability of people of African descent. She is often called "the mother of African American literature."
Despite her literary acclaim, Wheatley faced financial difficulties after publication and died in 1784 at approximately 31 years old. Schools, libraries, community centers, and university buildings across the country have been named in her honor. A statue of the poet was included in the Boston Women's Memorial in 2003. Antonio Alcalá, an art director for USPS, designed the stamp using a portrait by artist Kerry James Marshall. The Phillis Wheatley stamp will be issued in panes of 20 as a Forever stamp, maintaining value equal to the current First-Class Mail one-ounce price. The Black Heritage series began in 1978 and has previously honored figures including Harriet Tubman, Frederick Douglass, and Toni Morrison.
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