Two hundred years after his birth, Walt Whitman remains one of America’s most influential writers, arguably our national poet. His life’s work, Leaves of Grass, is a perennial best-seller, and Whitman himself has attained the status of cultural icon, his name nearly a byword for notions of inclusivity, equality, sensuality, and the value of the individual.

Drawing from collections across the Library, Walt Whitman: America’s Poet examines many of the individuals, beliefs, and experiences that shaped Whitman’s work while also noting his literary legacy and continuing cultural impact.

Stephen A. Schwarzman Building, Sue and Edgar Wachenheim III Gallery