Phillis Wheatley (ca. 1753 - 1784) was one of the most prominent early American poets, and is considered "the first African-American author of a published book of poetry." Born in West Africa (likely Senegal or Gambia) around 1753, Phillis was captured by slavers at about age seven and lived the rest of her life as an enslaved person. She was ultimately enslaved by the prominent Wheatley family of Boston, who taught her to read and write. Her work was widely read and praised on both sides of the Atlantic, and "her name was a household word among literate colonists and her achievements a catalyst for the fledgling antislavery movement." [poetryfoundation]. Her book Poems on Various Subjects, Religious and Moral was published in London in 1773, and the first American edition the book was not released until after the her death in 1784.

The present item is the first collected edition of Wheatley's work. It was edited and published by American book collector, seller, and bibliophile Charles F. Heartman (1883-1953) in 1915. Poems and Letters was likely released as part of the "The Charles F. Heartman Collection of Materials Relating to Negro Culture", which was representative of Heartman's larger interest in the collection, appreciation, and study of African-American literature.

Large Octavo, 111 pages. In Good minus condition. In original marbled paper boards, rebacked with light green buckram. Boards show moderate wear to edges and corners, bumping to head and tail of spine, some discoloration to cloth along spine, and moderate uneven age toning to paper label on front cover. Text block has moderate age toning and light wear to untrimmed edges, mild age toning to pages throughout interiorly, some residuum to the front paste down page from a removed bookplate, moderate off-setting to the front free end page from the removed bookplate, and a booksellers stamp to the title page ("Young's Book Exchange"). Frontispiece portrait of Wheatley. "No. 27" stamped on limitation page, indicating that this is the 27th of 350 copies printed by Heartman for this edition. SW Consignment. Shelved in Case 0.