Phillis Wheatley

Slavery was the contradiction of the new nation that had stated that "all men are created equal" and have "inalienable" rights to "life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness." Furthermore, many of the country's leaders believed that the African slaves were inferior to whites. No one was familiar with the idea of slaves writing poetry, since most slaves were not even allowed to learn to read and write. Given the hardships of life in early …

…helped create pathways for other talented black writers. Her Poems on Various Subjects, Religious and Moral was the first book written by a black in North America, as well as, the second book published by a woman in North America. These influencial accomplishemtns gave hope to all the aspiring blacks and helped inspire them to never give up. This published collection of poems also helped the blacks gain respect from more people through North America.