Sons and Daughters of the United States Middle Passage Announces 2025 Phillis Wheatley Literary Award and Service Award Winners
May 5, 2025 — The Sons and Daughters of the United States Middle Passage (SDUSMP) proudly announces the 2025 winners of the prestigious Phillis Wheatley Literary Awards and the SDUSMP Service Awards, which honor outstanding achievements in literature and service that highlight the legacy of the transatlantic slave trade and its descendants in the United States.
Named in honor of Phillis Wheatley, the first African American woman to publish a book of poetry, the Phillis Wheatley Literary Awards recognize outstanding literary works that explore the history, culture, and lived experiences of the descendants of the transatlantic slave trade. These awards celebrate authors whose writing continues Wheatley’s legacy of intellect, resilience, and artistic excellence.
2025 Phillis Wheatley Literary Award Winners
- Christina Cecelia Davidson – Dominican Crossroads: H. C. C. Astwood and the Moral Politics of Race-Making in the Age of Emancipation
- Margaret Seidler – “Payne-ful” Business: Charleston’s Journey to Truth
- Ellen Fernandez Sacco, Ph.D. – Not Yet Completely Free: Gradual Emancipation and the Family of Moses Williams, Philadelphia 1776-1833
- LaBrenda Garrett Nelson – Wick Garret’s Darkest Day: 6 September 1919
- Taiyon J. Coleman – Traveling without Moving: Essays from a Black Woman Trying to Survive in America
- Keidrick Roy – American Dark Age: Racial Feudalism and the Rise of Black Liberalism
- Dr. Artika Tyner – The Untold Story of Bridget Mason: A Freedwoman Becomes an Entrepreneur
- Dr. Artika Tyner – The Untold Story of John P. Parker: The Underground Railroad Conductor
- Ashton Lattimore– All We Were Promised
- Ric Murphy – Forgotten Patriots: The American Revolution Northern Theater
In addition, the SDUSMP Service Awards recognize individuals and organizations that have demonstrated exceptional commitment to advancing the mission of SDUSMP through education, genealogical research, historical preservation, and community service.
2025 SDUSMP Service Award Recipients
- Joseph D. Feaster, Jr. – Frederick Douglass Leadership Award
- Steve Williams – Harriet Tubman Leadership Award
- Bryan Sheffey – William Wells Brown Leadership Award
- Cheryl LaRoche – Ida B. Wells Leadership Award
- Judge Anita Laster Mays – Chairperson’s Award
These honorees exemplify the mission of SDUSMP through their unwavering commitment to education, community engagement, and historical preservation. Their contributions play a vital role in advancing the understanding of Middle Passage descendants and ensuring that this essential history remains visible, valued, and respected.
The awards will be presented at the upcoming SDUSMP Annual Conference, to be held on Friday June 6, 2025 on Zoom.
For more information about SDUSMP, its mission, and upcoming programs, please visit sdusmp.org/conference2025 or follow us on social media @SDUSMP.