Happy Black History Month to All of our Members!

To celebrate this month of heritage, culture, and history, the Descendants Program team is unveiling not one but three new content drops to the portal: one webinar and two digital exhibits focusing on the poet Phillis Wheatley, her life, and her connection to the Boston Tea Party.

For Week One, we introduced you to A Most Precious Cargo, Phillis Wheatley's Books of Poetry & The Dartmouth. Nestled among the Dartmouth’s cargo of East India Company tea was a crate of another kind. This one would hold a shipment of the newly published Poems on Various Subjects, Religious and Moral, written by Phillis Wheatley. Wheatley was the first woman of African descent, enslaved woman, and the third woman in America to publish a book of poetry. Phillis wrote her first poem in 1765, and it was published in 1767. Six years later, in 1773, Phillis would publish her famed book of poetry. Join the Boston Tea Party Ships & Museum for a 1-hour conversation about her connection to the Boston Tea Party Ship Dartmouth and her lasting legacy as a poet.

For Week Two, we have uploaded a digital exhibition of the 250th Anniversary travelling exhibition, Phillis Wheatley: A Poet's Journey. As part of the 250th Anniversary of the Boston Tea Party and the acquisition of a first edition of her book, the Boston Tea Party Ships & Museum exhibited a limited-time display showcasing the life of Phillis Wheatley through six photographs artistically created by Photographer Valerie Anselme. After displaying at the museum, the photos went on tour, wrapping up in 2024. Now for members of the Boston Tea Party Descendants Program, these beautiful and surreal images can be seen here!

As Black History Month comes to a close, we wanted to treat you all to one last exhibit: "Love of Freedom": The Story of Phillis Wheatley. Nestled amongst the Dartmouth’s cargo of East India Company tea in late 1773 was a crate of another kind. This one would hold a shipment of the newly published Poems on Various Subjects, Religious and Moral, written by Phillis Wheatley: The first woman of African descent, an enslaved person, and the third woman in America to publish a book of poetry. But who was Phillis Wheatley? How did she rise to prominence? Where does she intersect with the interwoven tapestry of Bostonians tied to the Tea Party? This exhibit will explore that story and bring Boston's Poetical Genius to life. This Descendants exclusive exhibit can be seen here!

To view the webinar, click on the first image. To view Phillis Wheatley: A Poet's Journey, click the second image. To view "Love of Freedom": The Story of Phillis Wheatley, click the third image.

*Membership is required to view the webinars and their metadata.