On this day in 1819, American poet Walt Whitman was born in West Hills, New York

On May 31, 1819, American poet journalist, and essayist Walt Whitman was born in West Hills, New York. Whitman is considered one of our nation’s most important poets, producing enduring works on such topics as love, democracy, nature, and life and death. His best-known volumes are Leaves of Grass and Drum Taps, which drew heavily from Whitman’s experiences during the Civil War.

Did you know? Though his career paths often related to writing in some way, Whitman didn’t have much of a formal education and was largely self-taught. Like Abraham Lincoln, a figure Whitman greatly admired, he was a voracious reader as a child and read whatever he could get his hands on, including Shakespeare, Homer, and the Bible. 📚📚📚

Walt Whitman, G. Frank E. Pearsall, c. 1869