Walt Whitman The Story of a Legend

Table Of Contents The Early Years Jobs and Papers The Final Years Books Of Poetry Citation

The Early Years Walt Whitman was born on May 31, 1819 in West Hills, New York. Walt’s father with the same name was skilled in the art of carpentry but struggled to find work so when Walt was four they moved to Brooklyn. Walt had seven other brothers and sisters each named after either an important figure in the new America or a relative, Jesse (1818-1870), Mary (1822-1899), daughter Hannah (1823-1908), Andrew Jackson (1827-1863), George Washington (1829-1901), and Thomas Jefferson (1833-1890), and Edward (1835-1902). Walt’s first job was as an apprentice on the Long Island Patriot where he learned the trade of printing. He published his first article at the age of twelve in The Mirror in 1834. After a devastating fire that ruined the printing house Walt went out and found a job as a teacher at the age of 17.

Jobs and Papers As Walt began into his late twenties he left his job as a teacher and he founded his own newspaper the Long-Islander as well as edit the Brooklyn Daily Eagle. Walt left the Brooklyn Daily Eagle to become editor of the New Orleans Crescent where he learned first hand about the horrors of slaved labor. After returning to Brooklyn Walt started another newspaper called the Brooklyn Freeman which contained poetry.              

The Final Years During the Civil War Walt went down to Washington D.C. to visit his wounded brother. He ended up staying there and he got a job as a clerk writing freelance poetry on the side. Walt then traveled to Camden to visit his sick mother when he received a stoke. He stayed there the rest of his life. Walt Whitman died on March 26, 1892 and he was buried in a tomb that he had designed on a lot in Harleigh Cemetery.              

Books Of Poetry Leaves of Grass (1855) First edition. Leaves of Grass (1856) Second edition. Leaves of Grass (1860) Third edition. Drum Taps (1865) Sequel to Drum Taps (1865) Leaves of Grass (1867) Fourth edition. Leaves of Grass (1870) Fifth edition. Passage to India (1870) Leaves of Grass (1876) Centennial edition. Leaves of Grass (1881) Sixth edition. Leaves of Grass (1891) "Deathbed" edition. Good-Bye, My Fancy (1891)

Citation http://jefferson.village.virginia.edu http://www.poets.org http://www.poetry.about.com