Walt Whitman

Walt Whitman was born on May 31, 1819, in West Hills, New York, and grew up in Brooklyn. Largely self-educated, he worked as a journalist, teacher, and government clerk before publishing the first edition of Leaves of Grass in 1855. The collection, which he revised and expanded throughout his life, introduced a radically new poetic voice—unrhymed, rhythmic, and inclusive—that embraced the diversity of American life. During the Civil War, Whitman served as a volunteer nurse in Washington, D.C., an experience that deepened his themes of suffering and healing. His later works, including Drum-Taps and Democratic Vistas, continued to explore national identity and spiritual unity. Whitman's influence on modern poetry is immense, with his celebration of the self and the common person paving the way for later innovators. He died on March 26, 1892, in Camden, New Jersey.