Question

If Phillis Wheatley was the Mother of African American literature, theres a sense in which Thomas Jefferson can be thought of as its midwife. Why does Gates consider Jefferson the midwife of African American literature? Jeffersons support of Wheatleys work brought forth further African literature. Jeffersons criticisms of Wheatleys work brought her further fame and fortune. Jeffersons support of Wheatleys work brought her publication to the world stage. Jeffersons criticisms of Wheatleys work brought forth further African literature to dispute his views.

Answer 1

It's not the first because Jefferson was not showing support. There was no riches that came after it because of it, so it is not the second one either. For the same reason, we can rule out the third as correct. In the end, we're left with:

Jefferson's criticisms of Wheatley's work brought forth further African literature to dispute his views.

Jefferson did not agree with that aesthetic judgment about Wheatley’s work,  partially because he did not like nor agree with the conclusion it led to. Although he continued to say that slavery was wrong, he used that book in to argue that whites were biologically and intellectually superior to blacks.

Answer 2

I'd say the last one, because Jefferson's thought of their role in literature were the strongest motivation for the blacks to create a body of literature that would prove implicitly Jefferson wrong.