To His Excellency General Washington

What it is

This poem was written by Phillis Wheatley in 1775 and sent directly to George Washington, then commander of the Continental Army. Thomas Paine reprinted it in the Pennsylvania Gazette in April 1776. Washington later invited her to visit his headquarters in Cambridge, Massachusetts.

Why it matters

The poem shows Wheatley publicly supporting the American Revolution and praising its leader, at a time when she herself had only recently gained freedom from slavery. That an enslaved or recently freed Black woman could address a general directly, and be answered with an invitation, says something about her unusual standing as a recognized poet.

Look closer

• Why might Wheatley have chosen to write a poem praising Washington and the Revolution?
• What does Washington's invitation suggest about how he viewed her?
• How might her own position as an enslaved or newly freed woman shape the meaning of a poem about freedom?