Write a paragraph of at least 150 words explaining why Gates chose to speak about the life and trials of Phillis Wheatley. Include information from his lecture that supports and presents his premise: the significance of the poetry of Phillis Wheatley.

Phillis Weatley, born in West Africa, was known to be the first published African-American female poet. She was sold as a slave by the age of seven or eight and brought to North America. She was lucky to be bought by the Wheatley family in Boston. She was taught how to read and write. They encouraged her to learn the art of poetry upon noticing her potentials in the world of literature. In her poems, she wrote her life as a slave. Critics claimed that she was reluctant when writing poems about slavery. She wrote poems praising slavery since it brought her to Christianity. On the other hand, she said in her other poems that slavery was a cruel fate.

Henry Louis Gates, Jr. was interested to speak about the life and trials of Phillis Wheatley since he wanted to be both a literary critic and a teacher at the same time. He has been an essential constituent to the Black Periodical Literature Project (a digital archive of black newspapers and magazines). The Life and Trials of Phillis Wheatkey (published last 2003) is part of the black culture and literature he is an advocate at.