Phyllis Wheatley, born around 1753 in West Africa, was kidnapped and brought to Boston at age seven. Sold to the Wheatley family, she received an education uncommon for enslaved individuals. She published her first poem in 1770 and became the first African American woman to publish a book in 1773. Wheatley expressed her longing for freedom in her poetry and gained recognition from figures like George Washington, leaving a lasting legacy.