WRITER

Phillis Wheatley

1753 - 1784

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Phillis Wheatley Peters, also spelled Phyllis and Wheatly (c. 1753 – December 5, 1784), was an American writer who is considered the first African-American author of a published book of poetry. Born in West Africa, she was kidnapped and subsequently sold into slavery at the age of seven or eight and transported to North America, where she was bought by the Wheatley family of Boston. After she learned to read and write, they encouraged her poetry when they saw her talent. On a 1773 trip to London with the Wheatleys' son, seeking publication of her work, Wheatley met prominent people who became her patrons. Read more on Wikipedia

Her biography is available in different languages on Wikipedia. Phillis Wheatley is the 430th most popular writer (up from 680th in 2019), the 2nd most popular biography from Benin (down from 1st in 2019) and the most popular Beninese Writer.

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Among WRITERS

Among writers, Phillis Wheatley ranks 430 out of 7,302. Before her are Ian Fleming, Attar of Nishapur, Isabelle de Charrière, Saint-John Perse, Jacques Prévert, and William of Rubruck. After her are Einhard, Ágota Kristóf, Gertrude Stein, Sholem Aleichem, Joseph Brodsky, and Sergei Yesenin.

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Contemporaries

Among people born in 1753, Phillis Wheatley ranks 2. Before her is Lazare Carnot. After her are Louis-Alexandre Berthier, Joseph de Maistre, Jean-Baptiste Kléber, Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla, Benjamin Thompson, Marie Joséphine of Savoy, Louise Marie Adélaïde de Bourbon, Duchess of Orléans, Utamaro, Frederick, Hereditary Prince of Denmark, and Franz Karl Achard. Among people deceased in 1784, Phillis Wheatley ranks 3. Before her are Denis Diderot, and Count of St. Germain. After her are Wilhelm Friedemann Bach, Samuel Johnson, Giovanni Battista Martini, Junípero Serra, Torbern Bergman, Otto Friedrich Müller, César-François Cassini de Thury, Anders Johan Lexell, and Princess Friederike Luise of Prussia.

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In Benin

Among people born in Benin, Phillis Wheatley ranks 2 out of 25. Before her are Do-Aklin (1550). After her are Thomas Boni Yayi (1951), Mathieu Kérékou (1933), Bernardin Gantin (1922), Hubert Maga (1916), Djimon Hounsou (1964), Patrice Talon (1958), Sourou-Migan Apithy (1913), Faure Gnassingbé (1966), Angélique Kidjo (1960), and Justin Ahomadégbé-Tomêtin (1917).

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Among WRITERS In Benin

Among writers born in Benin, Phillis Wheatley ranks 1. 

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