1. His Life, Times and Poetry
Walt Whitman
His Life, Times and Poetry

2. Early Childhood Born on Long Island, New York
The second of nine children
When he was four, moved to Brooklyn
Attended school for only six years before becoming a printer’s apprentice
Almost entirely self-educated

3. Young Man Worked in various print shops in New York City
At 17, started his career as a teacher
Taught for five years
Then turned to journalism full-time
Became editor of the New Orleans Crescent
There saw slavery first hand
Moved back to Brooklyn and started a “free soil” newspaper, 1848

4. Poetry Pioneer
1855 self-publishes his first version of Leaves of Grass
12 untitled poems
Sent a copy to Emerson
Used Emerson’s reply in his next edition – without his permission

8. Thoughts about Emerson’s Letter

9. Civil War Years
Moves to Washington D.C. to care for his brother (wounded at Antietam)
Worked in hospitals and as a clerk at the Department of the Interior

10. Whitman and Lincoln Never met But Whitman saw Lincoln many times
Greatly admired the man
Greatly affected by his assassination

11. Post War/Later Years Moves to Camden, NJ to care for his mother
Suffers a stroke; finds it impossible to move back to Washington
1882 publication of Leaves of Grass makes him enough money to buy a home

12. End of his Life Kept revising poetry Last book published 1891
Dies on March 26, 1862
Buried in Camden in tomb of his own design