Both were poets and wrote
romantic poetry in the spirit of the day. In 1761 Jupiter
Hammon, a Long Island slave, published his poem: "An
Evening Thought. Salvation by Christ with Penitential Cries". Twelve
years later Phillis Wheatley published a slim volume of poetry
which was written in a style much like that of Alexander Pope.
Born in Africa in 1753, she had been brought to America as a
child and had served in the Wheatley home in Boston. When she
displayed some literary ability, her master granted freedom to
her and, to some extent, became her patron. Her volume of poetry
was published while she was visiting England and is generally
considered superior to the poetry of Jupiter Hammon. Although on
one occasion Hammon did suggest that slavery was evil, he
instructed slaves to bear it with patience. Neither he nor
Phillis Wheatley made any direct challenge to race prejudice.
Instead, they strove to gain acceptance as talented individuals
who might help others of their race to improve their situation.
Unfortunately, white society regarded them only as unusual
individual exceptions and continued to maintain its racial views.
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