- This event has passed.
On this day – Henry David Thoreau was born
July 12, 2022
An event every year that begins at 12:00 am on day 12 of July, repeating indefinitely
On July 12, 1817, American writer and philosopher Henry David Thoreau was born in Concord, Massachusetts. One of the leading transcendentalists, Thoreau ruminated on nature, justice, and self-perception.
His oft-assigned Walden discusses nature and self-reliance while “Civil Disobedience” (in part a response to Thoreau’s disgust with the Mexican-American War) has inspired such leading civil rights leaders as Martin Luther King Jr. and Mohandas Gandhi.
Did you know? Thoreau’s father owned a pencil factory. With a knack for the technical (Thoreau was an accomplished carpenter), he helped improve pencil design during his time working there. ✏️✏️✏️
Henry David Thoreau, Edward Sidney Dunshee, 1861
