Photo: https://www.loc.gov/pictures/resource/ppmsca.02947/

#美国作家# 菲利斯·惠特利

在美国出书的第三位女性和首位非洲裔美国人年仅七岁时就在西非被绑架，并被运奴船“菲利斯”号运往殖民地。她当时是如此瘦弱，以至于惠特利一家在码头上购买她时，只想让她帮着做些家庭“琐事”。当看到她的聪慧时，惠特利一家决定教她认读和写作，后来又帮她出版了她创作的诗。惠特利充满思考的诗作在殖民地和英国广受好评，她得到了乔治·华盛顿的接见，甚至在欧洲受到了伏尔泰的款待。她的创作天赋使她成为刚起步的废奴运动的早期催化剂。虽然她一生享有国际声誉，但她去世时却贫困潦倒。其他作者是如何超越自己的环境限制而影响世界的？要了解更多关于菲利斯·惠特利的信息，请见（英文）：https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems-and-poets/poets/detail/phillis-wheatley

#AmericanAuthors# Phillis Wheatley

The third woman and the first African American to be published in the United States was kidnapped from somewhere in West Africa as a seven-year-old and arrived at the colonies on the slave ship ‘Phillis’ so emaciated that she was purchased at the docks by the Wheatley family for a mere “trifle.” Recognizing her intellect, the Wheatleys taught her to read and write, and then later, helped her to publish her own original poetry. Wheatley’s contemplative poems were praised in the colonies as well as in England, and she was received by George Washington and even feted in Europe by Voltaire. Her creative gift made her an early catalyst for the fledging abolitionist movement. While she enjoyed international renown during her life, she died in poverty. How have other authors transcended their circumstances to impact the world? To learn more about Phillis Wheatley see (eng): https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems-and-poets/poets/detail/phillis-wheatley.

来源：2017-07-05美国驻华大使馆美国驻华大使馆