As we delve into the life and legacy of Walt Whitman, we uncover a wealth of fascinating facts about this literary luminary. From his early years immersed in the rhythms of rural life to his groundbreaking poetic vision that revolutionized American literature, Whitman's journey reflects the spirit of innovation and individualism that characterizes the American experience. Here we gather some facts about Whitman, a native Long Islander, who has been called the first truly American poet.
The beginning
- Walter Whitman was born on May 31, 1819, in West Hill
- He was the the second of nine children of Quaker parents Walter and Louisa Van Velsor Whitman
- He was nicknamed "Walt" to distinguish him from his father
- He spent his early childhood in West Hills, where his family operated a farm
- Whitman's formal education was limited, but he was an avid reader and largely self-taught
Journalism
- Starting in the late 1830s and persisting throughout his lifetime, Walt Whitman's personal prose, fiction, and poetry were featured in newspapers and periodicals
- At the age of 13, Walt Whitman began his apprenticeship as a printer
- By 19, he established and served as editor for a modest newspaper called the Long Islander After just 10 months, he sold the publication in the summer of 1839
- He had a nearly two-year tenure that also ended contentiously at The Brooklyn Daily Eagle, 1846-1848
- In a review of his own book of poetry "Leaves of Grass", Whitman said of himself “An American bard, at last!”
Poetry and Leaves of Grass
- In 1855, Walt Whitman released the initial edition of Leaves of Grass, comprising twelve untitled poems and a preface
- Whitman personally crafted the cover design and handled the typesetting and printing expenses independently
- He dispatched a copy of the book to Ralph Waldo Emerson upon its completion
- Emerson's enthusiastic response prompted Whitman to include Emerson's letter, without consent, in subsequent editions
- Emerson's letter famously contained the line: "I greet you at the beginning of a great career."
- In 1860, the 3rd edition of Walt Whitman’s Leaves of Grass received a wildly varying reception in newspapers. “At opposite ends of the spectrum, it was advertised as ‘America’s First Distinctive Poem’ and reviewed as ‘armless, witless, pointless,” according to one article.
- "Leaves of Grass" was controversial for its frank portrayal of sexuality and its rejection of traditional poetic forms
- Whitman is considered one of the most important American poets and is often called the "father of free verse”
- Many of Whitman's poems celebrate the beauty of nature and the diversity of American life, themes that were influenced by his experiences on Long Island.
- According to PineBarrens.org, “The influence of the Pine Barrens on Whitman’s poem is most prominently evident in his references to the ‘Hermit Thrush,’ a solitary bird often found in the Pine Barrens that is known to utter the most beautiful song of nature. Comparing the Hermit Thrush to himself, Whitman recognized that, like the bird, he wished to remain in nature in solitude as it offered him a sense of renewal.”
Civil War
- Whitman called the civil war a "fratricidal war" because it was brother against brother
- During the Civil War, Whitman worked as a nurse in Washington, D.C., where he cared for wounded soldiers
- His experiences during the war deeply influenced his poetry
- At the onset of the American Civil War, Walt Whitman, upon hearing of his brother George Washington Whitman's injury, departed Brooklyn to locate him in Fredericksburg, Virginia's field hospitals
- Witnessing the distress of the wounded, he relocated to Washington D.C. and obtained a civil service position within the Department of the Interior
- This role enabled him to conduct over 600 visits to military hospitals in the capital throughout the war, providing comfort and assistance as a volunteer
- His time in Washington inspired a new section of Leaves of Grass called "Drum Taps," altering his poetic focus to encompass national themes, transcending his previous association solely with New York or Long Island
- Whitman admired President Abraham Lincoln and wrote several poems about him, including the elegy "When Lilacs Last in the Dooryard Bloom'd"
Legacy
- Whitman engaged in correspondence and received visits from renowned international literary figures such as Alfred Lord Tennyson, Bram Stoker, and Oscar Wilde
- He was also known for his progressive political views, including his support for women's rights and his opposition to slavery
- Walt Whitman passed away on March 26, 1892
- The final edition of Leaves of Grass was published in 1892, coinciding with Whitman's passing
- By the end of his life, Whitman had become the first American poet to achieve global recognition
- Long Island has several landmarks dedicated to Whitman, including Walt Whitman Road in Huntington Station, Walt Whitman Shops (formerly Walt Whitman Mall), and the Walt Whitman Birthplace State Historic Site in West Hills.
- Billy Collins, former U.S. Poet Laureate, has called him “the first truly American poet”
- His birthplace on Long Island is an historical landmark
- The address is 246 Old Walt Whitman Road, Huntington Station, NY 11746
- In 1949, Walt Whitman Birthplace Association (WWBA) was established to preserve his birthplace
- WWBA appealed to Alicia Patterson, who owned and published Newsday
- Patterson featured Whitman and his farmhouse's situation on the newspaper's cover
- She initiated a fundraising campaign that motivated students throughout Long Island to gather pennies, nickels, and dimes in support of the cause
- After three months the Association purchased the property
- In 1985, the property was listed on the NYS and National Registers of Historic Places
