Walt Whitman

Walt Whitman (1819–1892) was an American poet, essayist, journalist, and novelist, widely regarded as one of the most influential figures in American literature and the father of free verse. Born into a working-class family on Long Island, he worked as a printer, teacher, and editor before self-publishing his landmark collection Leaves of Grass in 1855, which celebrated democracy, nature, and sensuality amid controversy. He served as a volunteer nurse during the Civil War, producing works like Drum-Taps, and continued revising Leaves of Grass through multiple editions until his death.