Our History Awakens: Creating My Living History Avatar

Come with me as I share my story about how I awakened my living history avatar. My journey of Creating My Living History Avatar is through the person, poet, and prodigy of Phillis Wheatley. Phillis Wheatley was the first African-American woman and slave to have a volume of poetry published in the American colonies. Her book, titled Poems on Various Subjects: Religious and Moral, is an astounding accomplishment when you consider the circumstances and turmoil of the eighteenth-century Revolutionary War era. Phillis credits God with the gift of her talent, and eighteen Harvard-educated men, including the sitting Governor of Massachusetts, attest to her talent by publicly declaring her work authentic: ?WE whose Names are underwritten, do assure the World, that the POEMS specified in the following Page, were (as we verily believe) written by Phillis, a young Negro Girl, who was but a few Years since, brought an uncultivated Barbarian from Africa, and has ever since been, and now is, under the Disadvantage of serving as a Slave in a Family in this Town. She has been examined by some of the best Judges, and is thought qualified to write them.? This book describes how I created my first-person narrative performance, Phillis?s story of determination and resilience, and encourages the reader to find the power of his or her own voice to make a difference in his or her sphere of influence. I have found my voice to bring Phillis Wheatley?s story to life and to awaken her history. I hope you will be inspired to listen. Listen carefully for your call as I share my calling. Listen to the people who have been calling you. They choose you to tell their story. I trust you will be inspired to bring forth their stories and create your living history avatar.