Exhibit: May 15 - Aug 15, 2019

The exhibit retraces Whitman’s life, from his birthplace on Long Island, New York, his rise as an American poet, his life in Washington – including his intimate relationship with Peter Doyle, his care for Civil War soldiers and his admiration for Abraham Lincoln – his hands-on involvement with the design and publication of his poetry collection Leaves of Grass and pop culture references to Whitman and his legacy.

The Library exhibits poetry, images and ephemera from Whitman’s life in the Thomas Jefferson Building. Five cases display Whitman’s handwritten drafts, published poems, original letters, portraits and other rarely seen materials.

This is part of the multi-venue, 12-day Walt Whitman 200 Festival, celebrating the 200th anniversary of the birth of one of America’s most significant and enduring poets, who was a resident of Washington, DC for ten years during and after the Civil War.