Uncovering the untold story
Historical Documentary | 35 Minutes
What if we’ve only been told half the story?
In Search of Phillis Wheatley Peters reveals groundbreaking new research that reshapes what we know about her life, her marriage, and her final years in Revolutionary America. For generations, her story ended in silence and speculation. Now, newly uncovered archival evidence offers a deeper, more complex portrait of Phillis Wheatley Peters as a wife, intellectual, and woman determined to claim her freedom and authorship. Best known as the first African woman to publish a book of poetry, Phillis Wheatley Peters has too often been reduced to a single poem or a symbolic “first.” This film uncovers the history that has remained hidden — challenging long-standing assumptions and restoring her agency, ambition, and legacy. As the United States approaches its 250th anniversary, this documentary invites audiences to revisit the founding era through new scholarship and fresh historical insight.
Discover the story that history left out In Search of Phillis Wheatley Peters is a documentary driven by new research that uncovers a largely unknown chapter in the life of Phillis Wheatley Peters — America’s first Black published poet — revealing the remarkable love story between Phillis and John Peters, the free Black man she married in 1778.
Grounded in the groundbreaking archival work of Cornelia Dayton, the film brings newly unearthed documents to light, offering fresh insight into the couple’s fight for autonomy, dignity, and survival in Revolutionary-era Boston. Through the voices of leading scholars and poets — including Vincent Carretta, Nicole Aljoe, Manisha Sinha, Kabria Baumgartner, and Joanne Gabbin — the film reimagines Phillis not only as a literary icon, but as a woman who chose love, partnership, and resistance against extraordinary odds.
2026 Screenings
Fall 2026
More In-Person & Remote Screening
Scheduled for the US & UK
Updates Coming Soon
Partners
March 19th
George Washington University Washington D.C.
Testimonials
University of Saint Andrews
We are so pleased to have screened In Search of Phillis Wheatley Peters for our students and wider community at Bristol. The film tells a different story of Peters' life, foregrounding both her activism and her relationships and provokes us to consider the power and limitations of the archive. Our students thoroughly enjoyed it and went away with a lot to think about.
Prof. Josie Gill
Flint Public Library
The Flint Public Library in Middleton, MA was extremely lucky to host director Leslie Askew and producer Turlough White of Askew Pictures for a special showing of their short documentary In Search of Phillis Wheatley Peters. Despite having just been present for showings in major population centers such Boston and Fort Worth with audiences in the hundreds, Leslie and Turlough were just as serious and active during our small town event with an audience of ~40 patrons. The documentary itself was engaging and left the audience with plenty of questions about Phillis Wheatley Peters to ask during an exciting Q&A session. After the showing and Q&A, Leslie and Turlough directly interacted with the close-knit Middleton community in a casual, informal manner until the library’s closing time. Regular library patrons who attended the event made sure to remind me in the following days how much of a good time they had. I highly recommend other institutes consider hosting a showing.
Luis Tamayo
University of Bristol
'In Search of Phillis Wheatley Peters is a deep yet accessible film, with something to engage everyone, whether they are just coming to learn about the poet and her place in history, or if they have studied her for a long time. Students from first-year undergraduates to PhD candidates attended the screening at St Andrews, and had questions and reflections that showed their personal and academic engagement with the film. Leslie Askew generated a wonderful dialogue with students and colleagues, reflecting on Phillis Wheatley Peters, the making of the film, and the importance of the story for everyone today.'
Prof. Tom Jones
Two Mississippi Museums
The team at Askew Pictures was incredible to work alongside. Screening "In Search of Phillis Wheatley Peters" at the Two Mississippi Museums was a huge success. The film's content, partnered with a post-screening panel conversation with poets and scholars from Jackson State University, created a robust and powerful dialogue about Phillis Wheatley Peters and the continued exploration of her legacy. The program was an empowering and inspiring moment to reflect not only on Peter as an individual, but also on how her voice has challenged and redefined the American struggle for freedom.
Drew Gardner
Book a Screening
Screening License Only
Host a public screening of In Search of Phillis Wheatley Peters designed for campus and community audiences.
Includes a link to the film & ready-to-use promotional kit with images, trailer, discussion prompts, and marketing copy to support outreach across departments and partner organizations
Screening + Remote Q&A
Share the untold story of Phillis Wheatley Peters’ marriage, freedom, and legacy with your community.
In-Person Screening + Q&A
An immersive screening experience followed by an in-person dialogue with the Director, Leslie Askew.
Ideal for history, literature, African American studies, theology, and American studies programs seeking deeper exploration and cross-disciplinary engagement.
Pair the screening with a live virtual conversation with the Director, Leslie Askew.
This facilitated discussion connects the film’s themes—freedom, authorship, faith, and early American identity—to contemporary scholarship and student engagement.
In-Person Screening+ Class Visit
A comprehensive campus residency including a public screening, extended Q&A, and small-group classroom sessions with the the Director, Leslie Askew.
Designed to foster sustained dialogue, curricular integration, and meaningful engagement with students, faculty, and the broader academic community.
