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Walt Whitman was born in West Hills, Long Island, New York, to Walter and Louisa Whitman. He was the second of nine children in a working-class family that would soon face financial hardships.

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1831-1835: Early Career as a Printer's Apprentice

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1831-1835: Early Career as a Printer's Apprentice

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Young Walt began his career as an apprentice at the Long Island Patriot newspaper, learning the printing trade that would influence his future work. This early exposure to words and printing helped shape his understanding of language and composition.

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Whitman worked as a teacher in various one-room schoolhouses across Long Island. This experience exposed him to diverse American personalities and dialects, which would later influence his inclusive, democratic poetic voice.

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Whitman became editor of the Aurora newspaper in New York City, beginning his career as a journalist. He would go on to work for several newspapers, developing his distinctive writing style and democratic views.

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July 4, 1855: Publication of First Edition of 'Leaves of Grass'

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July 4, 1855: Publication of First Edition of 'Leaves of Grass'

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Whitman self-published the first edition of 'Leaves of Grass,' containing just 12 poems. This groundbreaking work introduced his free verse style and revolutionary themes of democracy, nature, love, and death. The book received mixed reviews but caught the attention of Ralph Waldo Emerson.

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During the Civil War, Whitman worked as a volunteer nurse in Washington, D.C. hospitals, tending to wounded soldiers. These experiences profoundly affected his poetry, leading to works like 'Drum-Taps' and 'When Lilacs Last in the Dooryard Bloom'd.'

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1865: Government Clerk and 'O Captain! My Captain!'

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1865: Government Clerk and 'O Captain! My Captain!'

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Following President Lincoln's assassination, Whitman wrote his famous elegy 'O Captain! My Captain!' He also secured a government clerk position in the Department of the Interior, though he was briefly fired due to the controversial nature of 'Leaves of Grass.'

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Whitman suffered a stroke and moved to Camden, New Jersey, where he would spend the remainder of his life. Despite his health challenges, he continued to write and revise 'Leaves of Grass,' which would go through multiple editions.

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1881: Publication of 'Democratic Vistas'

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1881: Publication of 'Democratic Vistas'

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This profound essay collection showcased Whitman's views on democracy, literature, and American culture. It remains one of the most important statements of American democratic theory and cultural criticism.

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Walt Whitman died in Camden, New Jersey. His final edition of 'Leaves of Grass' was published that same year. His innovative free verse, celebration of democracy and the common person, and frank treatment of both body and soul revolutionized American poetry and influenced generations of writers worldwide.