250th Anniversary of George Washington's Letter to Phillis Wheatley
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Today, February 28, marks an extraordinary moment in American history. On this day 250 years ago, General George Washington wrote a letter to Phillis Wheatley, one of the first published African American poets.
In October 1775, Wheatley, an enslaved African woman with remarkable literary talent, wrote to Washington and enclosed a poem she had composed in his honor. Her words reflected her engagement with the revolutionary cause and her belief in America’s promise of freedom.
Months later, on February 28, 1776, Washington replied from his military headquarters in Cambridge. In his letter, he thanked her “most sincerely for your polite notice of me, in the elegant Lines you enclosed,” and acknowledged her gifts as a poet. He explained that he had delayed responding because of “a variety of important occurrences,” a restrained description of the pressures he faced while leading the Continental Army. Washington also expressed hope that he might meet Wheatley if she came near his headquarters.
The exchange remains significant not only for its historical value but for the complexity it reveals. Washington was leading a fight for liberty from British rule while also a slaveowner. That contradiction is part of the American story. Recognizing it allows for a fuller understanding of the nation’s founding era and of the courage displayed by Wheatley, whose voice emerged despite bondage.
At the same time, Washington’s leadership of the Continental Army proved decisive in securing American independence. His command during the Revolutionary War helped establish a republic grounded in self-government and individual liberty. The success of that experiment influenced democratic movements far beyond the United States and shaped global conversations about freedom for generations.
The correspondence between Washington and Wheatley reflects both the aspirations and the contradictions of the founding period. It illustrates how the nation advanced its ideals unevenly yet meaningfully, moving closer to becoming a land committed to liberty and equality for all.
Bass Bonded Publishing is preparing to release Poems of Phillis Wheatley as part of its Rediscovered American Classics series in celebration of America’s 250th anniversary. Dr. Alveda King has written the foreword. The collection includes summaries and book club questions. Readers may visit BassBondedPublishing.com to subscribe for pre-order details and information about upcoming launch events.
