Phillis Wheatley is primarily recognized as the first African American woman to publish a book of poetry. Her work often explored themes of religion, morality, and the abolition of slavery.
Her poetry is significant for its literary merit and for challenging prevailing racial and gender prejudices of her time. She demonstrated the intellectual capabilities of enslaved people, influencing the abolitionist movement.
A good starting point is her collection "Poems on Various Subjects, Religious and Moral," which was her only published book and contains her most well-known works.
