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Category: Walt Whitman

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Remembrance: Whitman’s “The Death of Lincoln” and the By the People Whitman Campaign

Posted by: Anne Holmes

Walt Whitman devised his “Death of Lincoln” speech in 1879 to commemorate the April 14-15, 1865, demise of Abraham Lincoln. In this post, Manuscript Division curator Barbara Bair explores Whitman's historic speech, which is at the heart of the newest offering in the Library’s By the People crowdsourcing transcription campaign.

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Thoughts in the Time of Pandemic: Walt Whitman at Memorial Day

Posted by: Anne Holmes

May is the month of Walt Whitman’s birth and also of Memorial Day, when the nation is asked to pause and delve mindfully into remembrance of past wars and service and sacrifices rendered. Library of Congress Manuscript Division curator Barbara Bair explores Whitman's experiences and remembrances of war, isolation, suffering, and a turn to art in times of crisis—and how these themes connect to the current COVID-19 pandemic.

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Walt Whitman’s View of Railroads: To a Locomotive in Winter

Posted by: Peter Armenti

The following guest post is by Michael Sconzo, an intern from the University of Virginia in the Science, Technology, and Business Division. Using inspiration and access to the extensive collections of the Library Congress, Michael was asked to write posts on the theme of transportation for the Division’s Inside Adams blog. After reflection, he chose …

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Watch “Walt Whitman: Citizen Poet”

Posted by: Anne Holmes

Yesterday, the Library of Congress celebrated Walt Whitman’s 200th birthday with a public open house in the Thomas Jefferson Building. From 2:30 to 5:00, the room buzzed with energy as Library staff showed off a host of rarely seen Whitman collection items from the Manuscript, Rare Book and Special Collections, Prints and Photographs, and Music …

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Walt Whitman in Popular Culture: When Can We Buy a Bobblehead?

Posted by: Peter Armenti

The following guest post is by Abby Yochelson, Reference Specialist in the Main Reading Room, Researcher & Reference Services Division. The Library of Congress will celebrate the 200th anniversary of Whitman’s birthday in spring 2019 with a series of exhibits, public programs, and a digital crowdsourcing campaign to showcase the Library’s unparalleled collections of Whitman’s writings …