Jupiter Hammon’s emotional and religious poem “An Evening Thought: Salvation by Christ, with Penitential Cries” serves as a great example as to how the distraught African slaves perceived of the broadly-celebrated religion of Christianity. Much like Phillis Wheatley, the author of this particular poem was also an African-American that received high-quality education, and had enough intellect to subtly address the irrational social status of slavery while encouraging members of his race to persevere through this harsh time with faith in God. Jupiter Hammon initially praises God and Jesus Christ, and slowly proceeds into a plea for salvation. During this plea, Hammon incorporates a near-melancholic, woeful and sorrowful tone to express the pain
