Phillis Wheatley was named after the slave ship that brought her to the colonies as a child and for her enslaver. The Wheatley’s soon saw the great talent and potential she possessed and began to give her schooling over and above that of their other enslaved servants. At an early age, she was reading the hardest passages in the Bible. She began to write poetry that garnered the attention of George Washington, who became a strong proponent of her poetry, which brought out the irony that the freedom and equality that the white gentry was fighting for did not apply to the enslaved. Phillis was eventually manumitted. Join the Governor’s Musick in a musical exploration of the paradox of freedom as seen through the poetry of Phillis Wheatley.

Other Experiences
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Nation Builders Discuss the Rights of Women
Join two Nation Builders to discuss how they viewed and debated the rights of women.
Art Museums Admission
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Special Event: Williamsburg Military Tattoo
The Colonial Williamsburg Fife and Drum Corps is joined by guest units from across the nation in a thrilling torch-lit march down Duke of Gloucester Street.
Open to the Public
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Chamber String Recital
Come to this beautiful 18th-century worship center and enjoy a candlelit concert by The Violin Studio of Loretta McCray.
Open to the Public