Why is Jarena Lee’s Life and Religious Experience historically important?

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Phillis Wheatley's first book of poetry — African American literature Frontispiece and title page of *Poems on Various Subjects, Religious and Moral* (1773) by Phillis Wheatley, the first Black woman to become a poet of note in the United States. The portrait on which the frontispiece's engraving is based is often attributed to Scipio Moorhead, an Black artist and writer who, like Wheatley, was enslaved and living in Boston.

The Life and Religious Experience of Jarena Lee, published in 1836, holds significant historical importance as the first spiritual autobiography written by an African American woman.1

As a domestic servant who felt a divine calling to preach, Lee used her narrative to document her personal journey and religious conviction. Her work is a landmark in African American literature, emerging during a period when Black writers were increasingly using various literary forms—including essays, journalism, and personal accounts—to advocate for civil rights and challenge the institution of slavery. By asserting her voice and spiritual authority, Lee contributed to the growing tradition of Black women, such as Maria W. Stewart, who were actively shaping the discourse on social justice and community building in the 19th century.1