Phillis Wheatley and Black Heroes of the Revolution

These early heroes deserve considerable credit.

Portrait of Phillis Wheatley, January 1837. Public Domain

(Editor’s Note: Portions of this essay are drawn from Mr. Reed’s forthcoming book, “Born of Ideas: How Principles, Faith, and Courage Forged America,” to be released in April 2026 by Faith & Freedom Press, the publishing house of Grove City College in Pennsylvania.)

Out of a total population of 2.5 million at the time of the Declaration of Independence, black Americans numbered about 500,000, or 20 percent. Most were enslaved, but at least 30,000 were free men and women.