The Last Best Hope? The Black Founders, America and the Claim of Equality
May 22, 2024
James Basker, scholar and editor of Black Writers of the Founding Era, guides a recovery of early Black political and literary voices. He traces petitions, poems, letters and legal claims. Short scenes cover Phyllis Wheatley, Prince Hall, Benjamin Banneker, Belinda’s reparations suit and mass petitions that pressed the Declaration’s claim of equality.
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Widening The Definition Of 'Writer'
- James Basker broadened "writers" to include petitions, ads, letters and court records to recover ordinary Black voices.
- These documents make visible lived experiences that formal literary histories often omit.
Petitioning As Early Civil Rights Tactic
- Petitions were a core tactic Black Americans used to appeal to government and claim rights after 1776.
- These petitions pressured legislatures and helped produce early northern emancipation laws.
Phyllis Wheatley's Journey To Literary Prominence
- Phyllis Wheatley arrived enslaved as a child, became a celebrated poet, and negotiated her freedom after a London tour.
- She publicly supported the American Revolution and used poetry to press for inclusion.
