Hammon, Jupiter

Hammon, Jupiter (1711–c. 1790–1806) writer, poet born in Oyster Bay, Long Island, N.Y. Little is known of his life, but it is known that he was born a slave, worked as a clerk for the Lloyd family, and was reportedly educated by missionaries from England. His first published poem, "An Evening Thought" (1761), preceded the work of Phillis Wheatley by six years, thus earning him the distinction of being the first African-American to be published. He later moved to Hartford, Conn., with Joseph Lloyd when the British invaded Long Island (1776). His work was published by the Quakers and includes religious essays, sermons, and poetry. A collection of his work, America's First Negro Poet: The Complete Work of Jupiter Hammon of Long Island, was published in 1970.